【 汝自身を知れ 】 Know Thyself
by TheWhimsicalNoirette
Summary: A child with the ability to foresee the future is born, once in every three decades. In the world of shinobi, it is believed to be a blessing by most; and a curse, to those who were granted this power. However, she, who was granted this power, is determined to not let it rule her future and her worth.《Hatake Kakashi x OC》 [AU]
1. Prologue: Esteemed Child

**[A/N]:** Hello everyone! Rui here. So, this would be my 4th ongoing story, and 5th story that I published in the site. This would also be my first try on a Narutoverse fanfic so please go easy on me! Hopefully, a lot of you would like my take on it. I'm also hoping that a lot of people could give me support.

Feel free to drop reviews, as it works as a motivation of some sort to me. Thank you! And I'm hoping you will like the story.

* * *

A dark figure loomed over a collapsed little girl with shoulder-length, ruby-red hair. A face stained with tears, and pale skin covered in soot, bruises and scratches. And she was hugging a small pack to her chest.

That mysterious figure hoisted the girl in its arms like a princess, then disappeared in thin air under the cover of the dark night.

It reappeared again after a few minutes. But the scenery had changed by then. Instead of the dark forest, it was a village. A village filled with houses with colorful roofs, and tiled or wooden walls. The mysterious figure traversed the roofs skillfully and quickly.

It jumped once more, but this time, it was higher. It finally stopped when it landed on a ledge with an open window and then slipped through the opening, with the small girl still being carried safely in its arms.

"Hokage-sama," the voice of a man could be heard inside the now closed-off room. The appearance of the man was hard to figure out, since there was little light.

But his silhouette was lean and tall. Also, the man seemed to have spiky hair. Aside from that, nothing eye-catching could be noticed on the said man.

He kneeled briefly in front of a cloaked man with a large hat covering mostly the upper half of his face. But judging by the wrinkles on the cloaked man's lower half of his face, he is already past his prime. Probably for a long time already. He is sitting with his hands clasped together that almost cover his mouth.

"What happened?" The expression on the old man's face was grim, but stoic. His voice was calm, but there is a stormy undertone as if he would go ballistic any moment.

The man before him is now treading on shallow waters. He had to choose his words and actions carefully, or else he could be the one to take the brunt of the old man's wrath.

"I found her at the clearing near the gates," he paused, as he searched in his memories for confirmation. "I decided to take her back before any of our enemies wandering around our land could get their hands on her."

The both of them were silent for a moment, before the old man spoke in his raspy voice, "A wise choice."

"Get her treated at the hospital, before we send her to the T&I just in case the girl is under some mind-controlling ninjutsu," the old man called Hokage unlaced his hands before waving off the man before him.

The man looked at the face of the child he was carrying in his arms. He felt pity and at the same time, responsible for the girl's well-being; moreover, they are at war with the other hidden villages right now and he could not afford not to save one of their kin, even if she is from the farthest and hidden territory of their country.

"At your will, Hokage-sama," the man finally said, before disappearing once more.

Once his subordinate was out of sight, the old man took his pipe that is emitting smoke and took a puff of it. He muttered under his breath, "I wonder how the rest of her clan is faring."

* * *

"I think she's waking up now," an unfamiliar voice resounded, as bright lights hit her making her wince. The little girl coughed violently, and someone rushed to her side immediately.

"Are you alright?" A female voice asked gently, helping her sit up on the bed she was currently resting on. Her eyes opened, revealing a pair of pale red orbs that glistened darkly as her consciousness slowly returned.

"Where am I?" The child asked in a small, yet emotionless voice which sent shivers to the people currently present in the room: a middle-aged doctor and two nurses, including the one who is beside her.

"You are currently admitted in the Konoha Hospital. You were unconscious for two days now," the nurse with short, brown hair and kind demeanor explained. The girl's expression turned grim with each syllable that the woman spoke.

"I have to return…" She muttered under her breath and tried to get out of the hospital cot she was now sitting on. However, it was futile because she was immediately stopped by the said nurse, at the same time the doctor spoke.

"You can't. You have to stay here until you get better—"

As soon as those words left his lips, a pair of teary, red eyes were glaring at him. Somehow, it unnerved him—as if those glistening eyes were seeing through his whole being.

"A-Anyway, you can't leave just yet, especially when we were strictly told to keep an eye on you while you are recuperating." The doctor managed to stutter out, as he pushed up his glasses that are slipping off from his nose.

"I will send someone to fetch _him._ So, monitor her while waiting, Taji-kun." The brown-haired nurse who was still beside the girl, nodded at the doctor before taking a look at the seething child beside her.

Once the doctor and the other nurse were outside, Taji stood up from the cot and continued to stare the little girl down. Feeling the intensity of the nurse's stare, the child looked up and met eyes with her instead.

"Aren't you going?" The child asked in a monotonous voice.

"Did you not hear what he said?" Taji shot back, making the girl more irate than she already was.

"I'm not even from here, so I don't get why you're helping an orphan like me," the kid huffed, and crossed her little arms over her chest while looking outside the window. There, she saw the garden filled with trees and flowers. Nostalgia immediately hit her, and her stony expression softened for a bit, making her look like the child she actually are.

Taji noted the way the child formed words, and deduced that she must have lost her family in the skirmishes that is currently brewing between Konoha and Iwagakure. Unconsciously, she had put a hand on her shoulder, as if comforting her. That action caught the attention of the girl, whose head almost snapped at how fast it turned just to look at Taji spitefully.

The two of them had another round of stare-down but the older female was unwavering. The medic-nin decided to break off the tensed silence, when she remembered that she had forgotten to ask one vital question to the young girl.

"What's your name?"

The question caught the child off-guard that her doe-like eyes rounded in surprise, before she quickly regained her composure and rolled her eyes at the adult who asked the question rather too late.

"Why should I tell you? For all I know, _you're_ out to _kill me_." She harrumphed, turning her head away from Taji.

 _'An act of stubbornness,'_ Taji thought. _'A smart child if you ask me, but if she continues like this, she'll eventually get herself killed by saying the wrong thing…'_

"Either you tell me your name, or you can settle with me calling you _little girl_ for as long as you're here," the medic-nin voiced out. She noticed how the girl's cheeks slowly turned pinkish. Whether it was out of anger or embarrassment, she did not know and she doesn't plan to, out of fear that the said child would become more bull-headed.

However, she finally managed to get a proper answer after a little while.

"…Nao."

At first, Taji was confused, but then she soon realized that the girl was letting her know her name. Thank god, there was some sort of progress to this mental battle. She would be able to write her report later properly, and accurately update the hospital's records.

"Is that all? Your name, I mean." She probed further, wondering if the kid has a family name, or if she even know it. Taji assumed that the girl is at least four or five years of age, despite the brilliance that 'Nao' displayed.

And a minute had passed before 'Nao' spoke up once more, and the information she revealed astounded Taji more than she could have had imagined. Her eyes widened in shock, at the words that spilled from the child's lips.

'Nao' stared at her in the eyes. Her pair of pale, red orbs slowly darkening by each syllable—by each word that left her mouth, as she continued her introduction.

When the child was done revealing who she was, she did not avert her gaze elsewhere like she always did earlier. It held a certain degree of firmness to it. On the other hand, Taji had disbelief clearly written on her expression as the girl's words finally sunk in, in her mind.

Before the medic-nin could utter a word, the door suddenly opened with a creak. It revealed a handsome man in his early twenty's with spiky, yellow hair and bright blue eyes, like the color of the sky. His face was expressionless—almost stoic even. He was wearing a flak jacket over a blue garb, with bandages wrapped over some of his body parts. But what Naoko noticed instantly was the distinguishable forehead protector, which symbol she recognized.

Realization dawned on her as soon as she saw the leaf symbol on his forehead protector. She was taken in by Konoha, after she had collapsed at a clearing while fleeing away from enemies.

It completely left Naoko's mind that she was in Konoha right now, and that she was supposed to ask for help aside from deciding to go home. She started shaking, remembering what she came here for. However, it was probably all in vain now.

"Greetings esteemed child of the Higanbana. Heiress to the deceased clan head, Naohiko. Daughter to the deceased Hitomi. And the only known, living survivor of the Higanbana clan as of now."

The mysterious man said as he repeated the words that she had used to introduce herself to Taji, while his blue orbs met her pale red ones. And now, the child _deeply_ regretted doing so.

"Welcome to Konoha, _Naoko of the Higanbana,_ " were the last words she heard from his lips, before the red-haired child could notice or react that she was already transported somewhere else afterwards, while she was in the midst of her internal battle.


	2. Intro Arc: Caged

**Rui's back!**

 **BookwormStrawberry & sianfaythe: Thank you so much! I hope you continue supporting my story. Lots of love, you two! *sends virtual hearts and hugs* ( o u o )**

* * *

 _"Who are you?" A boy with white, spiky hair who was wearing a shirt which covers half of his face, asked. His voice was soft and low but it there was irritation hiding underneath his calm demeanor. He looked to be the same age as Naoko, no doubt._

 _"...I could ask you the same question." The said girl shot back, her expressionless face not giving a way a hint of any emotion. Her tone was laced with the same annoyance the unknown boy had used to her._

 _The wind blew gently, ruffling both their hair and making it fly to the same direction as the wind does. The children just stared at each other, cold eyes observing the other closely._

 _Silence enveloped them, not until the girl broke it first with a smirk which almost resembled a smile, and spoke. This time, her voice had more cheer in it._

 _"I'm Naoko, but you can call me Nao." The smile she showed him completely caught the young boy off-guard. He did expect her to give in first, although he did not exactly plan to do so as well._

 _"...I'm Kakashi," was what all he said._

* * *

Naoko woke up with a start. She was still a little disoriented from being unconscious. _Again._ How long had she been out anyway? She did not know. Her head ached a little, along with her neck.

She was about to massage the aching parts of her body with her little hands. However, she noticed too late that there were shackles preventing her from doing so. The child tried to get her hands out of it but to no avail, it only hurted her wrists. The shackles were connected to a chair that she was currently sitting on.

A frown had settled on her expression and she was angry at the people who is responsible for her capture and current condition. Her small fists clenched until her it turned white.

Naoko observed the room she was in, but there was little light. She could only see silhouettes of the things or people present in the closed-off room.

"...Who are you people? Where did you bring me? What do you want with me?" The child asked after remaining silent for the past few minutes. However, there was no response from the people overlooking her.

"Silence, _child._ We're the ones who are going to be asking questions." A gruff voice finally answered. And the lights were turned on, momentarily blinding Naoko. When she opened her eyes—lo and behold—she could see the ones responsible for her capture. Although, not directly responsible, she still deemed them so because they were treating her as some sort of criminal.

The Higanbana's heiress took note of a long, white-haired man with a lean build standing across her. ' _He looks old... and stern,'_ she thought as she bit her lip anxiously. She doesn't have a clue as to why or for what purpose did the man, who had struck her unconscious, bring her here for.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" The same intimidating man, asked her. Her pale, red orbs studied the people in the room closely, before training her eyes on the light-haired man once more.

Then, she answered quietly—just enough for the people in the room to hear her, "I'm Naoko of the Higanbana. I came from a small village in the outskirts of the Land of Fire which was attacked recently. I came to Konoha, seeking for refuge."

She could feel how the room had turned deadly silent, and how a bunch of cold, narrowed eyes landed on her small form, chained to the chair she was sitting on. The child could feel the cold sweat forming on her forehead, as she grew more nervous at their cold treatment.

"Who were you with? How were you able to come to Konoha?" She heard someone ask her again. The voice was familiar, and she immediately looked up. The man whom she had met before she was knocked unconscious stood beside the man with light—almost white—hair.

Her eyes teared up almost automatically when she heard his question. She glared at the man hatefully. It brought up unpleasant memories of her kin being slaughtered by people she did not recognize. However, those same people _did_ bear some sort of resemblance to the people who were preventing her from escaping this prison— _this cage_.

"I escaped _alone_ ," she emphasized the word. She was, by no means, lying. But Naoko was still able to feel how the people in the room were still so suspicious of her.

"I walked for days with _no one_ to travel with. _My people_ _all died._ I was the only one left of my clan, after all."

With that statement, she suddenly lost consciousness once more. But this time, it seemed like she was suddenly in an empty room, with white walls.

" _Hello?_ " Her little voice echoed. Naoko was startled when a person suddenly emerged out of nowhere. The girl warily took a step back as the person continued to advance, until she was able to take a good look of the person's face.

"Hmm," the man hummed as he looked around. Naoko recognized him. It was the man who was interrogating her earlier. The intimidating man with long, almost-white hair.

"Pardon the late introduction. I'm Yamanaka Inori, the head of Konoha's Intelligence Division." The man smiled wryly, but Naoko did not drop off her guard yet.

"Where am I? I'm supposed to be chained on a chair right?" The child asked cautiously, her eyes wide in panic.

"We're currently inside your mind, since I'm supposed to check if you are under any influence of a genjutsu or mind-control of some sort." Inori explained, as he went back to looking around. There were flashes of still-scenes of Naoko's memories.

The little girl watched in awe as it passed by her, but then remembered the intruder inside her mind.

"Get out of here! Don't soil the memories of my kin!" She cried out, hostility glinting in her pale, red orbs. But Inori paid no heed to her outburst.

"Don't worry. I have no plans of erasing your memories. I just wanted to make sure that your mind is not tampered with, before we could approve of you seeking asylum to our village." Naoko finally sighed in relief at his explanation. She did not want to lose the only things that could remind her of her clansmen.

"Come with me," she heard Inori called out as he started walking around, while watching her memories play out right before their eyes. Naoko followed closely behind him, after coming to terms with herself that there's no harm that is going to befall her while accompanying the man.

Suddenly, Inori stilled in front of a certain scene that played out. He looked at Naoko who was now beside him, in a mix of disbelief and surprise.

"Hm? I don't think I remember this happening. When was this?" Inori heard the child mumbling to herself, which confirmed his suspicions all the more.

"N-Naoko-kun, do you remember meeting someone who had red eyes with some sort of pin-wheels along their irises?" Inori asked, as he knelt down to be on eye-level with the said child.

Naoko shook her head. She only remembered her mother telling her about the world outside their village, since it was one of their clan's rules to not make contact with outsiders.

"No, I don't think I have met someone like that yet. I told you already, that I was travelling alone all this time." The child reminded, her hands clasped in front of her. She was now fiddling with her thumbs anxiously, wondering what was up with the sudden question.

"I see. Then that means, you were not a victim of a Sharingan's genjutsu..." Inori muttered more to himself than to Naoko, as he held his chin between his fingers. The child just continued to watch him nervously.

"Alright. With this, I'll be ending my investigation of you. Someone will be accompanying you later on, when you regain consciousness." With that, Naoko blacked out without warning, for the umpteenth time that day.

* * *

"Inori, what were your findings of the girl?" An old man wearing a cloak with the words _'Third Hokage'_ written on the back, asked the light-haired man.

They were currently in the office of the Third Hokage, with Inori and the other man with spiky, yellow hair present. The three of them started a meeting, with all the windows sealed shut.

"She was not under the influence of a genjutsu or mind control. However, I have had the chance to see something interesting earlier when I used my mind reading jutsu on her," Inori paused for a moment before continuing, as he recalled the events in his mind. "I heard her say that she _'did not remember something happening'_ earlier."

The Third Hokage nodded, and motioned him to continue what he was saying. Inori took a deep breath and resumed his story.

"We were watching a memory of her meeting a kid with white, spiky hair in one of the training grounds here in Konoha. Only the upper half of the kid's face was seen, and the lower half is covered with his clothing."

Blue eyes widened in surprise at Inori's description. His eyes glinting in recognition at the revelation. He opened his mouth to say something but decided to keep it shut at the moment.

The elderly man behind the desk seemed to notice the unusual actions of his subordinate, as he looked at him. "Do you have something to say, Minato?"

"Yes, Sandaime," the man called Minato stood in attention as he began saying his piece.

"I have only heard legends or myths about a certain clan living in the outskirts of the Land of Fire. But I was not sure if it was true..." The Third Hokage nodded his head, understanding what Minato was trying to get across.

"That's right. However, we cannot exactly say that it is only a legend if a child like her exists. And it seems like there are a lot like her." Minato's expression turned grim at the Third Hokage's statement.

"What is it?" The old man asked, his tone turning alert.

"That child—Naoko—she said that she was the heiress of the Higanbana clan," the yellow-haired man paused and looked at Inori then at the Third Hokage.

"She also said that she was the daughter of the deceased clan head, Naohiko and Hitomi. And that she was the _only_ living survivor of her clan now."

Silence hung in the air at the Yellow Flash's revelation about Naoko. Minato had only told them about what she had shared to Taji before he had knocked her unconscious and brought her to the Intelligence Division.

"...I will be assigning her ANBU guards to look after her, so that no other hidden village could get their hands on her." The Third Hokage snapped his fingers and a man with a face mask resembling a fox appeared in front of Minato and Inori.

"Fox, you and your team are assigned to guard over Higanbana Naoko. You are to see that no suspicious entity would get in contact with her. Otherwise, you are to eliminate them immediately," the old man ordered as he waved his hand.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The masked man called Fox, responded before disappearing from the trio's sight.

"Inori, you are in charge of checking on the child's mental condition once in a while. Do as you see fit." Inori answered in affirmation before the Third Hokage looked at Minato.

"I'm leaving you in charge of her training. See if she has the makings to become a fine kunoichi."

The meeting was soon dismissed, with Inori and Minato leaving the Third Hokage's office without any further discussion.

Inside the office, the old Sarutobi had his clasped hands on top of his work desk. He had a brooding expression on as he remembered one of his acquaintances' words about the legendary clan.

 _'Their eyes are neither a blessing nor a curse. It is up to the person who holds that power to decide.'_

* * *

 **[A/N]: Hi everyone! Rui-chan is back to drop a boring chapter. /slapped.**

 **I'm just kidding! But I hope this did not bore the hell out of you guys. I know that this has a slow build up of development.**

 **Still, I am hoping for a positive feedback. I hope you liked the update. ヾ(*´∀｀*)ﾉ**

 **On that note, thank you for the love and support for this story! Stay tuned for more.**

 **Lots of love from Rui~ (▰˘◡˘▰)**


	3. Intro Arc: Restart

**Hola, mi amore~ /slapped.**

 **Dark Rose Charm - Thank you so much! I'm glad that my story got you interested. I hope you'll continue to stay tune, because I have a lot of plans for this. *wink wink***

 **Thanks to all the people who followed and added this story to their favorites!**

 **Now, back to the story~**

* * *

Naoko was currently lounging about in the hospital cot she was put in after losing consciousness during her time in the Intelligence Division. Her head was still aching due to the previous shenanigans that the people from the other day had put her through. Even though she is young, she knew what was going on—or at least, had an idea.

Her mother did not raise a fool for a child. She had taught Naoko enough about the world outside their clan's village. The good and the bad. Whatever those may be.

Oh, _her mother_. Her mother who was gentle and kind. Her mother who was smart and strong, despite the hateful attitude that her clansmen had treated her with.

The child bit her lip as she looked out the window. She shook her head to rid herself of the memories of her mother which resurfaced in her mind. She did not want to think about anything regarding her clan at the moment.

A sigh escaped her lips, wondering how long she was to be cooped up inside this dreary hospital room that they had put her in. It seems that she was still under observation until further orders from the authorities in this village. She hoped that the verdict on her would be something along the lines of letting her live—instead of leaving her to die a dog's death.

"A ryo for your thoughts?" A familiar man's voice caught her off-guard. The girl squeaked in surprise, nearly falling off the cot. When she finally composed herself, she was face to face with the same man who was _the root of all evil,_ smiling amicably at her.

It was what she had started calling him in her mind upon recalling what he had done to her a few days before. He had knocked her unconscious, and because of that, she did not trust him one bit at the moment.

Naoko warily looked at him, her pale red orbs glinting suspiciously. She scooted to the other side of the cot, trying her best to get away from the man. She would have rather preferred that Yamanaka Inori came for her instead of this man who was still smiling dumbly at her.

"...Who are you?" She asked, her tone suspicious. The blonde-haired man straightened up, the smile never leaving his face. "And please stop smiling at me like that. It's creepy!"

"I'm Namikaze Minato. It's nice to meet you, Naoko-chan!" The _root of all evil_ introduced himself cheerfully. He was not deterred despite her insult. And she wondered if he was always like this—looking like he was spitting rainbows and unicorns.

"What are you here for?" _Minato_ seemed to tilt his head to the side, as if trying to find the right words to say to her.

"You don't have to be so careful with your words. I think hearing what you say about the verdict regarding my situation is much better, than waking up chained to a chair and becoming a subject of mind torture." Naoko added, her eyes turning steely. Her stoic expression did not fit well with her childish features.

Minato, on the other hand, was quite taken aback at the maturity of the child before him. He felt pity and awe for her, all at the same time. He pitied her for losing her family during an all-out attack that wiped out her whole clan. And he felt awe, because she was not bawling her eyes out unlike the children he often saw in the village when they didn't get what they wanted.

' _She's just like someone I know,'_ he thought and raised his hand to pat her head gently. Naoko looked up at him in mild surprise, before her facial expression shifted into one of disgust.

She slapped his hand away, feeling peeved that she was obviously being pitied because of her situation. Naoko did not need to be pitied. She is _the_ heiress and now, the head of her clan—being the sole survivor and all.

"I don't need your pity. Just tell me what you came here for," the child whispered, almost inaudibly. She looked down on her small hands on her lap.

A few moments passed between them, without anyone speaking before Minato decided to do so. He figured that Naoko might lose her temper all the more if he took his time.

"You will be enrolled in the academy that teaches children to become a shinobi. Also, you will be training directly under me and Yamanaka Inori. I believe you have met him last time." An image of a certain light-haired man with an intimidating air suddenly popped up in Naoko's mind.

So far, she was getting the gist of what Minato was trying to say. She will be trained to become a soldier of this village, is what he basically told her. It seems she will be able to keep her life for longer though.

"You will also be given a home to stay at under the Hokage's name. Someone will be helping you to move in soon." The child nodded in understanding, upon hearing the full explanation of her situation.

"Do you have any questions?" Minato asked, observing how Naoko pursed her lips and fiddled with her small fingers.

"Do I get a say in all this?" She motioned her hand as if pointing out something invisible in front of her. Minato smiled sadly at her. "Unfortunately, no." He responded.

"Wonderful," the girl muttered under her breath. A sigh could only escape her lips as the reality of her situation finally sank in her mind.

"Also, here. Your bag. I took the liberty to see if there is anything dangerous inside. I hope you don't mind." Minato smiled down at her as he handed a small, ragged backpack to the child.

Naoko scrambled to get it from his clutches, and glared intensely at him. "Thanks for retrieving it, but I _don't_ exactly appreciate you snooping through my things."

Minato held up his hands defensively, looking guilty. As much as he did not want to look into her things, he needed to follow protocol. When Naoko saw the look on his face though, her expression softened for a bit before it became guarded again.

A knock interrupted the both of them and they looked at the door as it opened, revealing the female, brunette nurse who took care of Naoko when she was first hospitalized.

"Taji-san," the child brightened up a little upon seeing the familiar face. Somehow, she took a liking to the older woman, because she seemed like the genuine type of person in her opinion.

"Hello, Nao-chan. How are you feeling?" Taji approached the both of them, after closing the door behind her. She was holding a clipboard and a pen.

"I'm doing great. I feel much better than when I arrived," Naoko grinned childishly. All the tension from earlier left her body. Unbeknownst to her, Minato was watching their interaction silently.

He knows that Taji is someone reliable, since she is working directly under the Third Hokage's wife. He knows that he could trust her to take care of Naoko.

"Mm, all good! You can be discharged now," he heard Taji say to Naoko, who was still smiling widely, after the brief check up. During the past three days that Naoko was confined in the hospital, Taji was the one who took care of her because honestly, she was being a pain in the ass to the other doctors and nurses present.

With her sarcastic comments and heated glares, the child became well-known and feared in the aforementioned place. Well, that works to her advantage though, because she did not want to deal with strangers manhandling her anymore.

"I assume that you will be taking her into custody, Minato-san?" The blonde male nodded his head, a small smile lingering on his lips. He looked at Naoko who, for the umpteenth time, was staring at him with a guarded expression. All traces of her childish personality from earlier were gone.

Taji followed Minato's line of gaze, and she also noticed the change in atmosphere in the room. The medic-nin smiled helplessly at the child before her, understanding what Naoko might be feeling right now. After all, she will be left to the care of a complete stranger, who had a record of knocking her unconscious.

"Don't worry," Naoko looked up when she felt a hand stroking her head gently. It was Taji with a warm smile on her visage. "Minato-san is a reliable man. He won't hurt you, nor put you in danger."

Minato doubted the last bit of Taji's statement though. He had enough enemies outside the village who were hunting him, so if they knew that Naoko has relations to him in any way, she might get targeted later on, if not soon.

"...Really?" He heard Naoko ask. Taji just smiled widely and nodded her head as a response.

"You won't do anything weird or worst, suddenly kill me right?" There was an unreadable expression on the little girl's face, but Minato had quickly taken note of the way fear flashed in her pale, red orbs.

"Like I told you earlier—" He was cut off by Naoko. "I know. But it could all be a lie," she whispered. Silence ensued between the three of them. Taji continued to stroke the child's head to make her relax.

"I promise that everything what I said earlier was the whole truth, Naoko-chan," Minato approached her and squatted down a bit so he was meeting her eyes.

" _I promise."_

* * *

A month later, Naoko was finally starting to settle into a new routine. Her life had taken a turn. Whether it was for good or bad—she did not know at the moment. But she could say that slowly, she was starting to like how her new life was taking shape.

She still reminisced about the past—her family, her clan, her life in their clan's village. It was completely different, and it made her feel bad.

It made her feel bad that she was the only one able to experience being out and about, living a new life outside their isolated village. She felt bad that she was the only one left of their clan. She felt bad for being the only one _to survive_.

Currently, Naoko was at the park near the hospital. She was watching how kids her age were playing with their friends—smiling, laughing, and just having fun. For the first time since living in Konoha, she felt envious. She wished that she had her old friends with her from back home.

The little girl stood up from the bench, and with one last longing look at the group of kids, she ventured to one of the training grounds near the ninja academy for her training.

When she arrived, she saw no one in the grounds yet. Naoko looked high and low for any clues as to where her supposed instructor for today might be. Instead, what she found was completely different than what she had expected.

Taking a nap under the shade of a tree was a boy. A boy her age, to be exact. She approached him slowly and carefully, so as not to alert him with her presence. He looked familiar to her somehow, but she was sure that she had not seen him before this. Or maybe she did, but she was not exactly alert that time.

Naoko had learned a lot during the past month—from chakra control to endurance training and body conditioning. She remembered being so tired and beat up that she had slept so well, without nightmares haunting her.

She had also started her education in the academy during that time. Naoko was so caught up in her studies, that she had no time to build rapport with her classmates. At least, not yet. Half of the reason was because she was still reluctant when it comes to making friends. She did not want to feel the pain of being the only one left again, if worst comes to worst.

And as soon as that thought cropped up in her mind, the worst thing that could happen to her _did_ happen right now. She had stepped on a branch, for goodness sake!

The boy stirred in his sleep, before his eyes opened, surprising her. Dark grey eyes met her pale, red ones. He quickly stood up and took on a fighting stance.

Naoko stepped back, her mind warning her to go run away but she was rooted on the spot she was standing on. The boy's eyes seemed to delve into her being. It unnerved her, which prevented her to escape as much as she wanted to do so.

When he finally realized that there was no ill-intent coming from her, he finally let his guard down. The same goes for Naoko, when the boy stood up straight instead of looking like he was going to fight her.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice low and soft. His tone was laced with irritation, despite the cool demeanor he had. Naoko could barely see his face due to the mask covering the lower half of his face. She could only see his eyes and the rest of his head. He had silver hair, which somewhat fascinated the girl.

"...I could ask you the same question." She shot back, using the same tone he had used on her. Her facial expression shifted into a blank slate at once, not giving away any sort of emotions unlike earlier.

The wind blew, tousling their hairs as it passed by. Leaves flew when the wind made its presence known. On the other hand, the two of them just continued staring down at each other, refusing to back down from each other.

However, the mysterious boy was caught off-guard when a smirk—almost like a smile—formed on her lips. When she spoke this time, her voice had more cheer in it.

Naoko did not know what came to her but the familiarity she felt earlier when she saw him, was what probably made her act unlike the usual.

"I'm Naoko, but you can call me Nao." She said, and waited for the boy before her to introduce himself as well. A minute passed, and she figured that he would not speak up as he just continued to observe her.

"...I'm Kakashi."

 _Oh,_ praise the hokages! Finally, he decided to speak up. She was about to say something to him, when someone interrupted them.

"Oh, it seems like you two are just about done introducing yourselves to each other." Naoko saw Minato making his way towards them with a smile.

 _What good timing!_

* * *

 **[A/N]: Hi, hello! Rui-chan is passing by to drop another chapter. (/◕ヮ◕)/**

 **This is to celebrate me passing my Japanese Proficiency certification exam in N5 Level. I got 86/180, whereas the passing is supposed to be 80 points.**

 **This just means, I barely passed. I feel conflicted, since there was one part the test where I only guessed my answers because I ran out of time. I think I guessed about four items. LOL.**

 **I'm still glad that I passed on the first try though, despite some of the questions being hard since it was not yet taught to us in class.**

 **Anyway, I just wanted to share my achievement at the beginning of the year. I hope y'all don't mind. (=´ᆺ｀=)**

 **On thaaaat note, Nao-chan and Kakashi finally met! Imagine them as five-year olds. (≧∇≦)/**

 **I hope y'all liked the update. Thank you so much for supporting this story!**

 **So long, my lovelies~! ヽ(●´ε｀●)ノ**


	4. Intro Arc: Training

**Yo, my lovelies~ Here's an update again. Heh.**

 **missfites - Thank you so much! I hope you keep loving it~**

 **Dark Rose Charm - Soon! They'll definitely meet, but have some Kakashi x Nao for a moment. *wink wink***

 **Thanks for everyone who dropped a review! Keep 'em coming~**

 **Noooow, moving on to the story! _Action!_**

* * *

Oh, what good timing Minato has, like always. Naoko had gotten used to the said older male suddenly popping out of nowhere during the past month. He always end up scaring the crap out of her when he does that. She was glad that she did not have a heart problem at a young age though.

"Sensei," she and Kakashi said at the same time upon seeing the blonde walking up to them, with his signature 'dumb smile' as what Naoko decided to name it. The two of them looked at each other, confusion surfacing on their expressions.

Naoko's eyebrows immediately furrowed at the unexpected situation that she was in. When Minato finally stopped a few feet in front of them, she cut him off with a question when he was about to speak. She was getting used to that routine now, as well. Heh.

"So, we're supposed to train together?" The child motioned to the silver-haired boy before her. Kakashi's eyes, on the other hand, seemed to narrow at her question and the somewhat disrespectful tone in her voice that she used on _their_ teacher.

"I knew you'd immediately get it, Nao-chan," Minato grinned at her and patted her head as if she was some sort of fluffy animal to be petted.

She just cringed at the affectionate gesture, and gently slapped his hand away from her red hair, that was now sticking up in odd places.

Over the past month, Naoko had also learned how to trust only a select few people after getting to know them. It was mainly Minato, Taji and Inori whom she trusted among the people she had interacted with so far.

"Minato-sensei, do you mind explaining all this?" The neglected boy spoke up, after seeing Minato and Naoko bantering with each other playfully and completely neglecting his presence.

"Oh, I figured that it would be good if my cute students could meet and get to know each other. After all, you're both of the same age and you two could get to learn from each other too." Naoko doubted that though. Kakashi did not look too happy with this arrangement, as far as she had observed despite half of his face being covered by his black mask.

"...I don't think he likes it, Minato-sensei." She glanced at Kakashi who was now glaring at her because of her side comment. Minato ended up ignoring the tense atmosphere between the two children. Instead, he reached for both of their heads and tousled their hair.

"Okay then, let's start training!" The children's teacher cheerfully clapped his hands and motioned them to follow him in the middle of the training ground.

"Oh god, he's not even listening." Naoko muttered under her breath. She sighed, deciding to yield to her fate—which is, to follow her teacher's instructions. She listlessly trudged after Minato, with Kakashi following behind her.

It was only a matter of time that Naoko got used to this attitude of Minato. She had been resisting at first, but now, she decided to give up on it because what goes in on one ear, goes out of the other.

* * *

Only an hour and a half had passed, and Minato was glad at first to see how his students were interacting with each other. But, as the time passed they were slowly becoming after each other's throats.

And it all started when Naoko had said something out loud about how Kakashi had a stick up in his ass, for always muttering under his breath on how inept the girl is.

"Like I said, it's not supposed to be like that!" Kakashi half-yelled in irritation as he corrected his fellow student's fighting stance. Minato had assigned him to guide Naoko on using basic taijutsu stances that was being taught in the academy, while he observed the two.

"And like I said, you don't need to shout. Plus, I told you already that I'm a beginner to this shinobi-thing." Naoko harrumphed as she lifted her hand up, in an attempt to smack Kakashi in the head. Sadly, he had dodged her hand beautifully.

"Sensei, can you teach her instead. This is not working out, like how you had hoped," the silver-haired boy complained, his hooded eyes glinting with annoyance.

"No can do, Kakashi. You teach her the basics, and build a good relationship with each other." Minato grinned at the both of them, who sighed in exasperation before returning to their tasks of teaching and being taught.

When the blonde ninja saw them not looking his way anymore, his facial expression morphed into an unhappy one. His mind wandered to one of the mysteries that the world has. Why people who do not deserve to experience such things in life are being made to go through heartbreaking experiences—like the kids before him.

Realizing that his mulling over things won't take him anywhere, Minato shook his head and plastered on his usual, happy-go-lucky expression which he was known for when he's off duty.

* * *

Naoko panted as her legs gave out under her. She could feel her muscles cramping and hurting all over. The sun was setting when training finally finished. The way Kakashi had taught her those basic taijutsu stances and whatnot were spartan.

He had scolded her at every chance he could get when she did something wrong—like how she was supposed to step out her right foot forward, instead of the left one or how she was supposed to put her left arm up for an upper block and so on.

Beside her, Kakashi was still standing up though, but he was sweating like crazy. Teaching Naoko had almost drained the life out of him. It was unbelievable how unreasonable and stubborn she was. However, she would still end up doing what he asked her to, despite glaring holes on his head.

Dark, gray eyes observed the form of the girl sitting on the grass and who was now massaging her aching legs. Minato clapped his hands once, earning the children's attentions.

"Good work you two. And now, to further deepen our bond, let's go to Ichiraku!" He announced, smiling widely at the both of them. Kakashi deadpanned, and Naoko groaned out loud.

"Can't you let us go home now? Training with Kakashi just shortened my lifespan by ten years," Naoko frowned, as she struggled to get up just like a new-born fawn.

"My sentiments exactly," Kakashi quietly shot back, his eyes observing the girl's movements closely. Her sharp ears picked up on his comment, and she shot him the evil eye.

"Now, now. Don't say that," Minato pacified the two before continuing, "We better get going before it completely gets dark." He said and started walking towards the exit of the training grounds.

Despite grumbling, Minato's students followed behind him. They were unwilling to spend more time than they were required to, with the people they dislike. But if they complain too much, Minato might get mad at them instead.

The two of them involuntarily shuddered at the same memory of Minato smiling down at them. It was a bright smile, but it was all a farce. He had emitted a sadistic atmosphere then. And let's just say that what happened afterwards to them wasn't exactly the best getting-to-know-each-other story to tell.

They finally arrived at the stall after a few minutes of walking. The three of them ordered and ate ramen while making small talk—or more like, Kakashi and Naoko bickered about today's activity as Minato looked at his students fondly and acted like a referee once in a while. The two had nearly gotten into a serious fight when Naoko had thought that it was fun to tease Kakashi regarding his mask.

"Knock it off," he coldly said as he dodged Naoko's hand who was reaching for his mask. Her hand hang in mid-air before she retracted it to her side. Naoko figured that it was enough messing around with him for today. Instead, she decided to stare at him when he was about to shove a mouthful of noodles in his mouth, still waiting for him to reveal his face.

Kakashi sighed and set his chopsticks down on the table a bit too loudly, before turning to look at Naoko with displeasure. He didn't speak, but she could tell he was annoyed because of her by now.

"What? I was only watching you," she shrugged nonchalantly, acting as if she wasn't doing anything wrong. Behind her, she could hear Minato snickering silently.

"Exactly. Stop watching me, because I can't eat properly with you staring." Naoko could only raise an eyebrow at that before saying her piece, "How about you remove that mask so you could eat peacefully?" She suggested, grinning at him innocently.

It irked Kakashi all the more, upon seeing the silly expression on her face. He could not deal with her antics anymore, so he decided to ignore her instead. Naoko, on the other hand, decided to finish her bowl of ramen quickly upon noticing the change in the atmosphere.

"I'm done, so I'm going home. I hope this is enough socializing for today, sensei. Thanks for the meal," and with that she shot her teacher a wide, sarcastic smile before nodding her head in acknowledgment at Kakashi.

"Nice meeting you. So long, whitey~" The young girl turned around and waved at them without looking back as she made her way to her humble abode.

Minato and Kakashi only looked at each other before staring at Naoko's retreating figure in the distance. The elder sighed, feeling disappointed at himself for not being able to make his students get along. Hopefully, in the duration of their time together, they would finally be able to have a good relationship.

* * *

When Naoko arrived home, she was greeted by a middle-aged woman. She would have been pretty if it was not for her thin frame or sunken cheeks. The woman had pale skin—translucent, almost. And she had black hair, that reached the small of her back. At first, the young girl had thought that she was a ghost when she first met the woman, who assumed the responsibility as her caretaker. But she had gotten used to her appearance and presence after a month of living with her.

"I'm back, Shinju-san," Naoko said, as she entered the facility she was currently living in with other children around her age and a few years older than her.

"Oh, it's Nao-chan!" A little boy, whom she remembered as Satoru called out upon seeing her. He ran towards her and immediately clung to her side. Her eyes softened a bit, before she shook her head and gently pried the kid away from her.

"I'm tired, so I'm heading to bed early." She coldly said as she trudged to the room she shared with three more girls. Shinju looked at her with concerned eyes and asked, "What about dinner, Nao-chan?"

"I already ate," she responded with a clipped tone and shut the door behind her. Naoko leaned on the door for a little bit before plopping on her bed, face first. Saying that she was exhausted, was an understatement.

Today had drained her physically and mentally. _'I should have refused to eat outside, even if it means facing sensei's wrath,'_ she thought grumpily, mulling over how draining it was to be forced to socialize.

Naoko turned over her bed, and was now looking up at the bed above hers. She put an arm over her eyes and drifted off to sleep shortly afterwards.

* * *

 _"Nao, you know, your father and I are really glad you are born," Naoko smiled brightly, relishing in the feeling of the gentle hand that was stroking her head._

 _"Nao too! Nao is happy that father and mother are my parents," her eyes formed crescent moons, as she smiled wider at the woman before her. The woman's fiery red hair was swaying along with the wind blowing in the night. Pale, red orbs similar to hers stared back at her, but it held kindness and affection for the child._

 _"We love you, Nao."_

 _Before the young girl could respond, the scene suddenly shifted so she was now looking at a crimson-colored scenery. Oddly enough, her lungs felt like it was about to be ripped off, upon inhaling a good amount of smoke that surrounded her._

 _Violent coughing racked her small body, as she made her way through rows of houses. Her pale, red orbs watered when smoke entered her eyes. She looked around, trying to find the people she was looking for. But there seemed to be no single soul around._

 _The child could hear people screaming in the background, but at the same time she could not hear anything as she could only watch the scene unfold before her eyes. After all, she was only a helpless child. A helpless child, who could not do anything on her own._

* * *

Naoko gasped for air as her eyes shot wide open, revealing a pair of pale, red orbs that was all too familiar to her. Cold sweat covered her forehead as she panted, and gripped the sheets covering her body. She could feel the way her hands turned clammy, and when she looked down to see it, it was trembling violently.

Her eyes watered, and soon enough, her tears were falling continuously as if it were like water when a faucet is open. She hugged her legs close to her chest, and buried her face on it. As much as she tried to stop herself from crying, quiet sobs couldn't help but escape past her lips.

Seeing that dream after so long, Naoko ended up sleepless throughout the rest of the night, until the sun had risen once again. A lone thought surfaced in her mind, upon seeing the reflection of the sun's bright rays.

 _'I miss you so bad—Mother, Father.'_

* * *

 **[A/N]: Yo, my lovelies! ヾ(*´∀｀*)ﾉ**

 **Rui-chan is on a roll. /bricked. I was writing this update since last night and I just finished it today while waiting for my alternative classes in uni. Buuuut, I got too lazy to attend and so, here's the outcome. ㄟ(￣▽￣ㄟ)**

 **Anywaaay, here's some little Kakashi x Nao scenes, as well as some angst in the end. Hehe~ (•‾⌣‾•)**

 **I hope y'all liked the update! Thank you so much for your support for this story~**

 **So long, my lovelies~ (◡‿◡✿)**


	5. Intro Arc: First Time in a Long While

**[Edited] *whispers* Rui's back, my lovelies~**

 **missfites - Well, I would not exactly call it as Nao coming out of her shell, but she's getting there slowly~ I mean, it's only a month after _that_ incident, right? *wink wink* And Kakashi! That guy—LOL. **

**Dark Rose Charm - Heh. We'll see~ But they definitely have a hate relationship right now—no love. Hihi. The timeline is still before Kakashi's dad died, so... stay tuned! *insert evil laugh***

 **fluffpenguin - Aww, thanks! I'll keep that in mind, and make sure to double-check. I often get the tenses mixed up, but I'll do my best to fix that. And Kakashi, yeeeeh~ I have a lot of things I want to explore in this. Hopefully, I do justice to my ideas. LOL.**

 **Thanks for the reviews, you lovely people~ *sends virtual hearts***

 **Back to the story!**

* * *

"Oh, you're here Nao-kun?" Yamanaka Inori greeted, as a lifeless Naoko walked up the pathway to the said Yamanaka's compound.

She had bags under her eyes that indicated her lack of sleep. And her pale, red orbs seemed hazy to him. The said man was currently sitting at the front porch with a steaming hot tea beside him.

"Good morning, Inori-sensei," came her automatic and monotonous response. Inori only managed to raise an eyebrow at the child's questionable actions.

"Did something happen?" He asked, just for good measure even though he knew that Naoko would dare put up a façade in front of him of all people. He could easily see through her. After all, he's the current head of Konoha's Intelligence Division.

At that question, the five-year old's head shot up. An obviously fake smile was suddenly plastered on her childish features, as if to cover up her earlier behavior.

"No, nothing happened! Nothing at all." She shook her head rapidly, while waving her hand in front of her.

However, Inori knew better than to believe the child's words. He had been in charge of her mental health for more than a month now, so it was a no-brainer not to think otherwise.

"Mind telling me about it?" With the look that he was currently giving her, Naoko knew that she had no choice but to tell Inori what had happened. She sighed in defeat, and sat beside him.

The child told him all about her dream—or more like, her nightmare that came back to haunt her at night. Inori just listened in attentively to the child, as she let out all the pent-up emotions in her heart.

Never had he seen nor heard Naoko talk so much and showed her hidden emotions all at once. It was the first time he had seen her looked so heart-broken ever since she had stepped foot in Konoha.

"I-I miss my mother and my father... I miss everyone," the child clenched her tiny fists tightly that were lying on top of her thighs. Droplets of tears were sliding down her now pink-colored cheeks.

"...Even the cranky elder who always scold me for acting someone unbecoming of my pedigree. _I miss them._ "

Inori laid a gentle hand on top of her head, as he watched how Naoko tried to wipe her tears away, only to be replaced by a fresh batch. In the end, he could only watch and try to console the girl as she suffered silently without anyone knowing the pain she was going through.

He wondered if anyone would be as strong as she was after all the things that she had gone through.

* * *

Kakashi arrived at the training ground that he had trained at with his teacher and fellow student from yesterday. Speaking of yesterday's training, his mind drifted off to the new girl who had enough guts to make fun of him during their little outing with their teacher.

There was a reason why he did not liked showing his face in front of people. Hence, why he is using clothing that hid his face. And he did not understand, why in the world Naoko found it fun to tease him by making him show his face.

And no, he was not ugly. His face was very much normal. Actually, he looked so much alike his father, in his opinion. Not that he had seen or remembered his mother very much to be able to compare their facial features from each other.

He clucked his tongue as he recalled the events, while he waited for Minato to arrive. As if he had known that Kakashi is now present, Minato had arrived a minute later after the young boy did.

"Good morning, Kakashi," the blonde ninja greeted his student with his usual smile. Kakashi tried to look as indifferent as possible as his eyes tried to search for something—or for _someone_ rather.

"If you're looking for Nao, she's currently with Inori-san," Minato explained shortly, as if he can read his student's mind.

The smile never left his face, instead it only seemed to grow wider. And that somehow irritated the silver-haired boy.

"Whatever," he responded. Inside his head, however, he had a lot of questions waiting to be answered.

How come Naoko was with one of the best sensors of Konoha? Or why she was under his sensei's tutelage as well? He had never seen nor heard of her, before their first meeting yesterday.

He decided not to dwell on it anymore. Kakashi didn't want to make his teacher relish in the feeling of having fun at his expense anymore, so he dropped the topic.

"What are we doing today, sensei?" Kakashi asked, trying to change the subject of their conversation. Minato observed him carefully, before nodding his head.

"You can ask her tomorrow. She'll be training with us then." Minato said, ignoring his earlier question, which annoyed the hell out of Kakashi.

"But for now, we spar for a bit and then we'll see if you can further improve your tracking abilities."

Then, his teacher went into his fighting stance, as Kakashi jumped away to put some distance between them. The teacher and student then clashed.

* * *

It was almost an hour and a half before Naoko was able to finally calm down. Her eyes were now puffed up. Simply put, she looked like how someone her age is supposed to look after bawling her eyes out.

Inori stayed by her side in the duration that she was crying. And the young girl was glad that he just listened to her. He didn't ask any questions nor pry her for answers.

"I'm fine now, Inori-sensei," Naoko wiped away the last streaks of her tears, and smiled up at the older man.

Inori nodded his head, observing her carefully and trying to gauge the child's current mental health.

"Seriously, sensei. You don't have to look at me with a scary expression like that. I'm fine now," the little girl dead-panned, now back to her no-fun personality that he had known her for.

"Alright, alright." Inori chuckled and ended up ruffling her head for being cheeky.

"Let's start your training then." He said, and he saw how her eyes gleamed in excitement.

Naoko had always enjoyed her training sessions with Inori because it was fun and interesting. Aside from being taught psychology, he had told her last time that she will be learning something completely new. That bit excited her more than Inori could imagine.

"So today, I'll make you get the hang of the basics of sensing chakra. This might be a bit complicated, but I believe you can do it."

And there it was—the wide grin spreading on the child's lips, as she turned to face her sensei fully and sat in a cross-legged manner.

Inori sighed in defeat, as he smiled helplessly at the eager girl before him. She had always seem to like being praised, even if he only did it in a subtle way just now.

"The basics of sensing chakra is to be able to focus on your surroundings, and not let yourself be distracted by the smallest things. You should not let your feelings get the better of you. In short, make sure to keep your emotions in check. Otherwise, it would simply disrupt your concentration." Inori explained, while Naoko nodded her head repeatedly waiting for more explanation.

"Now, close your eyes and take a deep breath," Naoko did as she was told.

"Inhale slowly, and exhale slowly. Then make the hand seals to mould chakra. Spread your chakra, and think as if you are part of your surroundings," she heard him say, seeing nothing but darkness.

However, she could see herself being cloaked with dark red chakra, standing in the midst of the space in her mind.

Then slowly, several colored wisps of smoke popped out in different directions. One in front of her, and a few more in the distance. The one in front of her was in the color of white with a tinge of blue and green. She slowly reached her hand out and touched it.

"Very good," she heard Inori say once again. Naoko started to get tired and breathed heavily as she released the hand seal she was making. Instantly, her concentration snapped and she opened her eyes, seeing Inori smiling proudly at her.

"As expected of your student, sensei." Naoko laughed, for the first time—proud that she had succeeded on the first try. And Inori was glad that he had taught her the basics of chakra sensing.

"You could get used to it by practicing, and you'll slowly be able to widen your range. However, for now, you'll be doing it under my watch so you won't push yourself too much."

The child playfully pouted, trying to show her displeasure at the set up that her sensei had decided on. Inori stared at her, as his blue-green eyes seemed to bore holes on her head.

"...I get it, sensei." Naoko said in defeat, as she continued sulking.

The rest of the afternoon, Inori had made her refine her chakra control so she'll be able to mould her chakra more smoothly, which would help her get a better grasp of sensing chakras in the end.

Afterwards, the two of them had talked to each other some more about different techniques that she could possibly learn, as well as the different things she could take advantage of by using the human mind—like, observing the likes and dislikes of her possible opponents.

When Naoko went home that day, she felt as if a heavy burden was finally lifted from her shoulders. Despite being a child, she had a firm grasp of her reality despite her occasional bouts of childishness. Pale, red orbs stared at the slowly darkening sky as she made her way back home.

Talking to Inori earlier and being able to cry freely made her feel as if she had sprouted wings. Maybe—just maybe, she would be able to finally accept what had happened in the past and use it as a way to propel her forward. To be able to use it as a means of strength, rather than a shackle to keep her from living the life she wanted.

As Naoko arrived home, someone barreled towards her as soon as she opened the front door. She landed on her back, and the young Higanbana groaned in pain. She sat up and saw that someone was in the same situation as her.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch," Naoko heard the person she bumped into, muttering in pain. It was a girl, about the same age as her with chin-length, brown hair. She also had purple, rectangular marks on her cheeks like some sort of face paint. Somehow, she looked familiar but Naoko couldn't quite put a finger as to who exactly the girl was.

"Are you alright?" Naoko asked as she stood up and made her way to the girl who was still sitting on her behind. She reached out a hand and the unknown girl took it with a grateful smile.

"I'm sorry for running into you. I was rushing since Shinju-san asked me to buy something," the brown-haired girl laughed sheepishly, as she rubbed her nape shyly.

"Do you want me to accompany you?" The brunette child's eyes widened in surprise at Naoko's offer, and she smiled widely at her.

"Sure thing! Actually, I'd love it if you came with me," she responded.

"Oh, I'm Rin by the way-Nohara Rin."

Naoko took her outstretched hand and shook it, while introducing herself, "I'm Higanbana Naoko. But you can call me Nao if you like."

"It's nice to meet you, Nao-chan!" Rin grinned, as she happily shook Naoko's hand before dragging her out the door.

"We should go now, since Shinju-san needed the soy sauce as soon as possible."

The red-haired girl snorted, before she had burst into a fit of giggles. She found Rin funny in a way, because of how random and hyper she seemed. At a glance, she looked like the type to be meek and quiet, but that wasn't the case at all.

"You laughed, Nao-chan," Rin pointed out, staring at her in amazement. Naoko hadn't noticed that they had already stopped walking. Her cheeks slowly turned pink, as she looked away out of embarrassment.

"W-Well, I _could_ laugh if I feel like it," the young heiress muttered, as her shoulders dropped sulkily. Rin just smiled at her newfound friend's actions.

"I've never seen you laugh back in the orphanage," the brunette trailed off, still staring at Naoko with her big, brown eyes. In turn, the latter just sighed as she scratched her head bashfully with her free hand.

"It's just-" Rin cut her off before she could continue, squeezing Naoko's hand in reassurance, "You don't have to force yourself to say anything Nao-chan. But from now on, you can talk to me if you want to since we're friends now!"

The brunette's smile and words warmed Naoko's cold, _cold_ heart. And for the first time in a long while, she was able to finally smile happily from the depths of her heart.

It caught Rin off-guard, like when she had seen and heard Naoko laugh earlier. And in her perspective, Naoko looked like she was freed from something and it made her seem prettier.

" _Friends,_ " Naoko declared softly, the smile never leaving her face even when the two of them continued their journey to buy the ingredient they needed for dinner.

Even when they have returned to the orphanage which they call home, the smile never left Naoko's face as she finally found something— _someone—_ whom she could call a friend for the first time in a long while.

* * *

 **[A/N]: Greetings, my lovelies~ ヾ(*' ˋ*)ﾉ** ***insert crazy laughter***

 **I figured I shall deny all of you ( _for now_ ) the moment you are waiting for: Obito and Nao-chan's meeting. And put up with Rin x Nao meeting for now right? Hihi~ (๑'ڡ'๑)**

 **On anoooother note, Kakashi's still left wondering about Nao's identity. And I shall, s _oon_ , bombard you all with surprises. LOL. Please bear with the slow development of the story at the moment. *wink wink***

 **Thank you for your continuous support! I hope you liked the recent update.**

 **So long, my lovelies~ (‿)**


	6. Of Memories: Fateful Meetings

**Rui-chan's back!**

 **I apologize in advance if next week and the week after, I won't be able to update due to exams. But I'll try to work on the next chapters if I ever do get the free time.**

 **fluffpenguin - Thank you so much for your the tips! I will keep them in mind and will watch out for the details with regards to my story~**

 **Dark Rose Charm - Well, I would not say Kakashi is interested already. Probably just wondering about her identity, but we'll definitely cross that bridge. And yay for Rin! Nao will be slowly meeting our other beloved characters too~ More of her visions later on as well.**

 **ukitakeitalialover041757 - Thank you so much! Please stay tuned for more~ ( * ^ * )**

* * *

"Nao-chan, are you done yet?" Rin shouted from the hallway of the orphanage, calling out to her ruby red-haired friend.

Naoko scrambled to finish changing into her clothes, which consisted of a long, black turtleneck and gray pants that had bandages wrapped around her left thigh. The child had long realized that if she wanted to fit the part of being a kunoichi, then she needed to change her appearance foremost. When she was done, she stepped out of the room that she shared with the other young girls from the orphanage.

"I'm done, I'm done—" Rin dragged her out the door of the facility as soon as those words left her mouth.

She could hear the brunette girl laughing cheerfully as they ran, narrowly missing the other citizens of Konoha who were walking around the street early in the morning.

"Hurry, Nao! We're going to be late to the academy."

How Naoko managed to hear that despite the wind buzzing in her ears, she did not know. But she just followed behind Rin while she was still being dragged along by the said girl.

They made their way to the ninja academy, huffing and puffing. Their eyes glistened with excitement for another day at school. But this time, the two of them had one another as company throughout the whole day. Meaning, the day would be at least more tolerable for the both of them.

"Anyway, I wanted you to meet someone. He's my friend and in the same class as us," Rin said as she and Naoko walked down the large hallways of the academy.

There were a lot of kids the same age as them walking, running and fooling around. Naoko hadn't really noticed it before since she was too absorbed with herself, but some of the kids felt a lot like her, atmosphere-wise. Most of the kids' eyes looked gloomy, despite the smiles that they tried so hard to put on their faces. Their expressions reminded her of herself, whenever she looks at the mirror when she's alone.

"Nao-chan?"

Naoko felt a tug on her arm and saw her brunette friend looking at her with a concerned expression. The former shook her head and smiled, reassuring her before they entered their assigned classroom.

Once the two of them settled down in their seats, Rin turned to Naoko who now had a solemn expression on. She was worried that her friend was brooding about something all alone, and she wanted to help her in any way she can.

"Is something wrong, Nao-chan?" The red-haired five year-old glanced at Rin.

She hesitated for a bit, before she finally decided to speak up, "Do you know why almost everyone has such expressions on their faces?"

Her question seemed to confuse and startle Rin all at the same time. The brunette's brown orbs darted all over the place. Naoko could see how beads of sweat started to form on her forehead, indicating that she was becoming nervous.

"You don't have to speak up, if it's hard to talk about," the Higanbana heiress belatedly said, upon sensing the tensed atmosphere. She laughed awkwardly as if it could alleviate the silence that ensued between them.

"Well, you know how there was a war right? It just ended a few years ago, but people are still hung up about it." Rin fiddled with her fingers nervously, and that action did not go unnoticed by the Higanbana's heiress.

"Plus, there are still skirmishes here and there happening outside the village. Everyone's worrying about their loved ones."

Naoko got the message that her friend was trying to get across. Everyone in the village who has loved ones fighting in the front lines were anxious about their well-being. They were afraid that they would not be able to welcome them. And if they did, their resting places could be the last place where they welcome them back.

She knew the feeling of losing her most important people all too well. It was like someone had carved a hole in her heart and left it to bleed. That was how heartbreaking it was. It would take a long time before the pain lessens. And a long, _long_ time before the gaping hole in her heart heals completely. Even then, her heart might also not be able to recover.

"Yo, Rin!" A cheerful, boyish voice called out loudly, which snapped Naoko back from her thoughts.

He was no taller than them—probably the same height. He had jet black, spiky hair and dark black eyes. The boy was wearing navy blue garb and was sporting goggles with orange lenses on his head.

"Obito-kun!" Rin squeaked in mild surprise. Naoko could almost hear the delight in her voice upon seeing the boy standing on the aisle near their seats.

She watched the interaction between the two, as they chatted animatedly and forgetting her presence for a moment. And the young heiress wondered what their relationship was.

"I made a new friend, by the way." Rin grinned widely at Obito, as she shifted her attention to Naoko.

"This is Higanbana Naoko," the brunette introduced, then continued. "Naoko, this is Uchiha Obito. He's my friend."

Naoko nodded her head, and offered a small smile at the raven-haired boy who smiled brightly at her. Somehow, it seemed as if she was momentarily blinded by the way he smiled at her. It was as if he was sparkling.

 _'He's totally the polar opposite of Kakashi,'_ she thought to herself, upon remembering her fellow student.

"I don't think I've seen you around here. Are you new?" Obito asked, as he sat down on the seat beside Rin, while the latter's eyes nervously flitted between the young Uchiha and young Higanbana.

The brunette girl had long noticed how Naoko shifted uncomfortably. She knew that Naoko's past was a touchy subject, and she do admit that Obito wasn't exactly the type to pick up on a hint or body language.

"Obito-kun," Rin whispered as she gently nudged her other friend's side using her elbow, before subtly glancing at the red-haired girl.

"Well, I came to Konoha a month ago. I was living in a village in the outskirts before. But it so happened to be attacked, so..." Naoko trailed off, smiling widely at Obito whose expression suddenly turned apologetic and guilty.

"I'm sor—" She cut him off with a shake of her head.

"Don't be. I mean, I told you on my own will so it doesn't really matter." Naoko said, the smile still gracing her lips but it didn't reach her eyes this time.

Their chat ended at that, when their teacher entered the class and started his lesson. All throughout the remainder of the day, Naoko kept quiet—only answering when she was being talked to or asked questions by either Rin or Obito.

* * *

"I'm off to training. See you tomorrow, Obito," Naoko waved at Obito as she smiled. "I'll see you later Rin." The said girl gave her a hug, then waved at her after letting go.

"See you, Nao-chan!" Both Obito and Rin said in unison, while they watched Naoko trudge to the opposite direction of their route.

"Rin," Obito started, as soon as their newfound friend's small form got lost in the crowd of kids and their parents.

Rin looked at him, bright brown eyes glistening with concern upon hearing the slightly dispirited undertone in his voice. She kind of guessed what it was that was bothering Obito, so she did not reply but waited for him to speak instead.

"Nao's back looked so sad and lonely, don't you think?" Rin internally agreed with his statement, but just looked on at the direction where the red-haired Higanbana disappeared to.

"Even though she was smiling and talking to us normally earlier, I could tell that there are a lot of things that's bothering her."

 _'Okay, this is new,'_ Rin thought, as she smiled secretively at the way her raven-haired friend talked about Naoko.

"Do you think she'd tell us her story if we ask her?"

Silence hung in the air as the both of them simultaneously thought of the same answer to Obito's question. But Rin decided to respond this time, putting into words what the both of them were thinking.

"We should wait until she's ready to tell us—is what I think. I'm sure you understand that too." Rin smiled then grab hold of Obito's arm and tugged at it.

"Let's go!" And the two had set off to their destination, which was the nearby park, in order to practice what they had learned in the academy.

* * *

Naoko was making her way to the usual training grounds that she and Minato meets at for the past month. She passed through the throngs of people in the market, and nearly bumping to a woman. The said woman stumbled a bit, her fiery red hair swishing and nearly hitting Naoko on the face. The child sputtered, as some strands actually landed on her lips.

"I'm sorry!" The woman bent down so that they were eye-level. She held Naoko by her tiny shoulders, as she made sure that the young girl was not hurt in any way.

Naoko, on the other hand, stared at the woman's features. Her brows were slightly furrowed with worry, and her skin was fair—almost like a porcelain. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of purple, glistening in the afternoon sunlight. And _her hair_ —her hair that was almost the same shade as hers, but darker. Almost like _her_ mother's.

The woman's eyes glint in recognition shortly after. As if she was suddenly reminded by something. But her thoughts were interrupted by the young girl before her, whom she was still holding by the shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go! Sorry for bumping into you, miss." Naoko bowed out of courtesy, before rushing off to her destination.

The woman with the red hair was left standing in the midst of Konoha's marketplace, wondering who on earth was the kid she just saw. It had been a long time when she had last seen someone who almost has the same shade of hair as hers—if not the same, then a shade lighter at least.

* * *

Naoko still cannot get over her meeting with the woman from the market earlier. Even during training, her mind would eventually wander to the said woman, just like how her nightmares would haunt her at night.

Something about the woman she had bumped into was _awfully_ familiar, but she just couldn't quite point a finger as to what it was. The familiarity and connection that she had felt earlier actually sent shivers down her spine.

"Nao, do you still want to continue? We could do this on another day. You might get hurt if we continue this," Minato's voice pulled her back to reality. Then, she saw a pair of eyes glaring holes on her head. Her pale, red orbs met stormy grey ones.

"What," she mouthed, confusion making its way on her face as she stared at the boy who was staring back at her.

They were a few meters away from each other, doing different training menus since Minato had just figured out that there was actually a _huge_ gap between her and Kakashi when he had used her as a sandbag in their earlier sparring. To say that her body ached because of that, was an understatement. And half of the reason why it ended up like that was because she was spacing in the middle of exchanging blows with her peer.

"If you're going to be like this during training, then go home." Kakashi coldly said, as he resumed doing his second set of calisthenics.

"It wasn't like I wanted to be distracted either," Naoko muttered under her breath, as she started practicing her stances halfheartedly. The matter she was mulling over, completely forgotten due to Kakashi's harsh words.

Minato observed both his students, as he stood under a tree with crossed arms. Naoko seemed more dazed than usual, and the bags under her eyes made him worry if she was getting enough sleep. There was one time that he and Inori happened to report back to the Third at the same time, with regards to how Naoko is currently faring. And apparently, their student happens to often have had nightmares or dreams which would wake her up from her sleep.

As for Kakashi, well, he was usually indifferent when it comes to other people. Unless he were to see someone acquainted to him or the people he has relations to, slacking off or making light of something. Minato found his seriousness inspiring though and something to admire him for.

A sigh could only escape past his lips as uneasiness took over his thoughts.

 _'It seems I still need to learn more when it comes to being a teacher,'_ Minato thought glumly as he resumed watching the kids.

"Kakashi," someone called out to the silver-haired boy.

It was about two hours after training had started. The three occupants of the training ground looked up, just to see a man who had the same hair color and style as Kakashi's. He had a kind smile on his visage as he approached the said boy.

"Ah, Sakumo-san," Naoko heard their teacher greeting the surprise guest.

She had stopped half-way from practicing her taijutsu moves, and watched the three-way interaction between her teacher, her peer, and her peer's father. She could clearly see the resemblance between him and Kakashi, except for the fact that she could not see half of her peer's face which she thought was a waste. His dad _was_ handsome after all.

"Dad," she heard Kakashi call out, as he approached his father. Naoko noted how his eyes shone in glee upon seeing him. It freaked her out a little, especially since for the two days she had been with him during their training, this was the only time that he had shown a different expression aside from annoyance—towards _her_ , to be specific.

 _'It must have been quite a while since Kakashi saw him,'_ the girl thought as soon as she took in Sakumo's appearance upon a closer look.

His uniform was pretty much stained with mud and soot. His face had a few scratches and nicks here and there. His hair was unkempt and there were bags under his eyes. Naoko immediately knew that he had just came back from a mission, and went off to see Kakashi as soon as he arrived back to Konoha.

There was a pang in young Naoko's chest and she held a hand over the area where it was hurting. She must have been turning green with envy at the sight of Kakashi reuniting with his father right now. There was never a day that she did not miss her family.

The horrible feeling did not go away—at least not until she felt a familiar hand gently settling itself on top of her head. Slowly, she looked up and saw Minato smiling at her. His eyes had a soft look in them and she felt relief wash over her immediately.

"And who do we have here?" Sakumo asked, after his and Kakashi's brief talk about his recent mission. Kakashi looked at her blankly, watching her every action.

"Hello. I'm Higanbana Naoko," the young girl bowed her head with a small smile, then locked eyes with the older Hatake. She saw his eyes widen slightly, before a smile slowly took over his lips. It was a kind smile, which she liked.

"It's nice meeting you, Naoko-chan. You can call me Uncle Sakumo," he kneeled on the grass and ruffled her hair. Naoko pouted slightly at that. Kakashi stared at her, an eyebrow raised. She saw it in her peripheral vision, but decided to ignore it.

"Thank you for looking after Kakashi. I hope he's not troubling you."

An all-too innocent grin crept up on the girl's lips as she side-glanced at Kakashi who was just beside his father. And upon seeing that, the silver-haired boy couldn't help but shudder at the sight. He knew that whatever she was planning was nowhere as innocent as her smile.

"Well," she started, assuming a thinking pose. Kakashi instantly went rigid at that.

An idea suddenly popped up in her mind before she continued, "He actually said something pretty mean to me, uncle." Naoko scratched her cheek, acting as if she suddenly felt bad about letting the cat out of the bag. She could see how Kakashi's eyes widened, and she swore that she heard her teacher snickering inaudibly beside her.

 _'How childish of Minato-sensei,'_ she thought. Despite that, she was grateful that he didn't say anything about what she said being untrue.

"Oh, did he really?" Sakumo's eyes narrowed slightly, before he looked at Kakashi pointedly as if saying _we'll talk about this later_. The young Higanbana was now snickering internally.

"Yes. He told me that I should go home if I was too distracted during training," Naoko said, her eyes filling up with fake tears. Minato snorted at that, his hand retracting from her head.

"I had a nightmare last night you see, so I wasn't able to sleep properly. I didn't mean to slack off or anything. And I finished my training today properly." The girl sniffled, as she looked down and fiddled with her fingers.

The sight of the little girl crying made Sakumo soften before he rose to his full height and turned to his son who was now shaking his head at his father.

"She's lying, dad! I swear!" Kakashi said, in his defense as he carefully took a step back from his father. He shot Naoko a dirty look, who watched him with a satisfied smirk as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"Kakashi," Sakumo called, his tone turning dangerously low as he went towards his son who was still shaking his head defensively.

"How many times have I told you to play nicely with the other kids?" He said, as he gave the younger Hatake a noogie, while he held him in a choke-hold.

"I'm sorry, dad! Seriously!" Kakashi cried out, and it was like music to the young Higanbana's ears. She watched with a wide smile, while Kakashi is being punished by his father. And Minato just chuckled beside her.

* * *

 **[A/N]: *whispers*** **Dropping an update for you lovely people. I hope y'all liked it. *wink wink***

 **Anyway, I'll be diverging from the plot a little from now on. 'Coz I wanted to try out writing something, so that it would fit the situation I'm planning to do to the story. Some characters might be a little OOC as well, so do excuse me for that but I'll do my best to write them as accurately as possible. (๑´ㅂ'๑)**

 **I also know that Kakashi's dad, Sakumo, died either when Kakashi was still in the academy or shortly after he became a genin. He fell into depression and died of suicide. And since there was no clear timeline and ages mentioned, lemme explore!**

 **And of course, lemme ask if you have figured out that woman whom Nao-chan bumped into~ If you know, then please _shhhh._ Hihihi.**

 **By the way, I'm doing maths for their ages and the years in between as well, so I'm kind of having a hard time. If you have any idea regarding that aspect, do tell me. Thanks! ヽ(●´ε｀●)ノ**

 **Aside from that, the story's going to take some time progressing especially since they're still kids and I want to show how they progress. Although I might do little time-skips here and there. *laughs***

 **Thank you so much for the love and support for this story! Stay tuned for the next chapter~ ヾ(´∀｀)ﾉ**


	7. Of Memories: Remember Your Roots

**Rui's back, my lovely peeps~**

 **Dark Rose Charm - Weeeell, I have a lot of plans regarding Nao's power. I think some will probs hate me for it but exploring is such a fun thing! Hihi~ Also, about Sakumo and Obito, Nao OFFICIALLY likes those two, even though it isn't shown that much yet. But I'll definitely get onto writing a chapter about her and them. ;)**

 **Vixen of Mischief - Aww, thank you! I'm glad you liked it. *whispers* I actually ship myself with Kakashi as well, but shush. Let's keep that a secret from Nao. Hohoho~**

 **fluffpenguin - Yeah, the ages and timeline is all over the place. But I'll be deciding on that soon. Their ages are fcking me up, so I can't really decide on what to write first. Lol. Thank you so much for the information though! Really appreciate it.**

 **lovinurbuks - Thank you so much! Please stay tuned for more. Eyyy~ (^u^)/**

 **Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews, everyone! Here's another chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Two whole weeks had passed after she met Rin, and Naokohad been enjoying the new routine she had adapted to. In the mornings, Rin and her would go to the academy together, then spend the whole day applying the lessons they learned together with Obito. The three of them then became known for being joined at the hip, because where one of them goes is where the other two would go too.

In the afternoons and weekends, the red-haired girl will spend it training with Minato or Inori. She was able to improve drastically in her studies and skills during that time, which delighted a lot of people—friends and teachers alike. Although, it wasn't still on par with her a certain silver-haired, fellow student.

Then, she will either spend the rest of the day left with Rin and Obito or visit Taji in Konoha's General Hospital. The older woman, after all, took care of her really good during the time she was first confined in the said hospital and during her regular checkups.

The little Higanbana girl was contented, to say the least, despite not broadcasting her feelings regarding the matter. The only times she did was when pretending in front of other people she did not know. It raised a few quizzical eyebrows at first from the people who actually knew her. And when asked why she did that, she only answered with:

 _"Because I learned the hard way that putting up a front will make other people easier to deal with," was Naoko's response. Her expression shifting into a hard one, and her pale, red orbs seeming as if it was blazing._

Now, the said girl was walking towards the direction of the training grounds as if she were programmed to do so. When she arrived, her eyes scanned the surroundings. There were deep gashes and holes on the trees indicating that a battle had occurred.

She had settled under the shade of a tree with a gaping hole at the center. A corner of Naoko's lips tilted upwards at the memory of the sparring she had with Kakashi the other week, a few days after his father had came back from a mission.

* * *

 _The weekend rolled in, meaning Naoko had the off-day from the academy. Rin had invited her out yesterday afternoon, saying that they should go out on Saturday because they had nothing better to do in the orphanage._

 _Naoko turned her down gently, "Sorry Rin, but I have to go somewhere. Maybe on tomorrow?"_

 _Rin nodded, albeit a little bit disappointed. She brightened up soon though, with her lips forming into a wide smile at her red-haired friend's attempt to make it up to her._

 _And so Saturday came, and Naoko had woken up earlier than usual. She had felt so refreshed that day, and then backtracked a little. It was a little weird that she did not have any sort of strange dreams that woke her up in the middle of the night this time. When last time, it seemed to occur very often—almost everyday, even._

 _Somehow, she suddenly had this urge to check out the backpack she had left with when escaping from her burning village. A frown settled on her rosy lips, as she grabbed it from the foot of her bed._

 _As she rummaged through it, she felt a leathery cover and pulled it out of the said bag. The binding was a little frail, and the young heiress minded the way she handled it as she remembered her mother's words._

 _'That's a family heirloom, from me to you, Naoko.'_

 _She smiled at the memory of her kind mother. The child touched it gingerly, before opening it carefully. The pages made a crinkling sound as she turned it one by one. Her eyes scanned the words handwritten in it. But she barely understood it._

 _There were names of animals written which caught her attention mostly, wondering about her mother's purpose for doing so. She paid no heed to it, however. Her eyes scanned a few more pages, and saw a weird drawing. A_ _t first, she was confused. But when Naoko had analyzed it, she finally realized that it was actually a family tree!_

 _There were scraggly lines drawn at the paper and names written below it. She didn't recognize the names written on her mother's side. But she definitely recognized the ones on her father's side. Naoko took a few more minutes to admire it before she turned to the last page._

 _And there at the last page, she saw her father's neat handwriting. Her eyes widened once again, as she read the words out loud which were scrawled across the very last page._

 _"Remember your roots."_

 _Her eyes immediately heated and teared up. But before it could drip down on the notebook which contained the memories of her parents and basically her whole clan, she had already wiped it away as she closed the notebook for good measure._

 _Remembering that she still had training with Minato and Kakashi, Naoko quickly scrambled to organize her things and prepare for another hellish day._

 _For the past week, Kakashi had acted like an ass towards her, even more so than during their past few meetings. And surely, he'd definitely throw in a sarcastic comment or two towards her if ever she arrives late. Naoko did not want to deal with that. Again._

 _The last time she had arrived late, Kakashi had told her that she should just go back to whichever hole she had came from if she was just going to slack off._

 _'As if I have a home to return to. If I did, I would get out of her immediately,' she bitterly thought at that time._

 _She remembered glaring at him with teary eyes, as she marched towards him. Her chakra spiking up at her sudden agitation. It was not until Minato had came in between them and took her away to talk some reason to her._

 _She knew the reason why Kakashi was acting that way though. She knew, honestly. It was because she had said all those things to get him in trouble with his father last time. And ever since then, the two's relationship had not been good, if not the worst._

 _She was going to apologize for that. Really. But he just had to open his mouth. In the end, Naoko couldn't say that the reason why she was late was because she had searched for and explained to Kakashi's father—Sakumo—that he had gotten it all wrong and that she had tweaked the truth a little that day he came back to Konoha._

 _Naoko figured that Kakashi might have been given by his father a stern talking to after what she had done. And that was the reason why she decided to find him the very next day, which made her end up late on her training._

 _Sakumo had forgiven her though, and he assured her that it was alright. He had told her as well that he had known that she was just pulling a prank on Kakashi, so she should not dwell on it too much._

 _"It's a kid's privilege to be mischievous during their childhood," he said as he playfully winked at her._ _Other than that, it was all fine and dandy afterwards._

 _Luckily, Naoko had been able to arrive at the meeting place earlier this time, and would be spared from Kakashi's biting remarks. He and Minato were already there, and were talking to each other about something._

 _"I'm not late, am I?" Naoko asked, mainly at Minato than the both of them. She wasn't exactly too keen with the idea of talking to her peer at the moment._

 _"You're just right on time, Nao-chan." Minato smiled and patted her head fondly, which she swatted away playfully._

 _"What are we doing today?" The red-head asked. This time, she watched Kakashi through the corners of her eyes and she saw him rolling his eyes at her 'unbelievably stupid' question._

 _"I was thinking that it's time for you two to spar. You've gotten used to the academy's taijutsu already, haven't you?" She heard their teacher say cheerfully, as if it was good news._

 _Naoko nodded hesitantly, her eyes flashing in fear for a moment_ _. But she shrugged it off, and smirked a little instead, trying to put up a front. But deep inside, she was technically shaking in her boots. She knew where and why this came up all of a sudden._

 _"So, are the two of us going to spar for_ this _guy's benefit?" She pointed her thumb at Kakashi who had narrowed his dark gray eyes at her._

 _"Weeell," Minato drawled, as he looked between the two and he swore that he could almost see the tension between the two. And before a small-scale war break out between his students, he spoke._

 _"Anyway, it's just so you two could relieve some tension. You know, test each other's skills." He smiled, sweatdropping a little._

 _His two students just looked at him as if he grew additional heads. Kakashi was the first one to react. "_ _Fine," he said, as he trudged unwillingly to one side of the training grounds._

 _This made Minato smile wider._ _He knew that Kakashi would want some sort of outlet for his frustration at the red-haired girl. And this was the only way that Minato could think of at the moment. It was not a bad idea, in his opinion, for two of his cute students to spar with each other—or so he thinks._

 _Naoko, on the other hand, was not pleased for becoming the bait that her teacher had made her to be. This was her first, real fight and it was against the silver-haired boy. Kakashi was going to wipe the floor using her, for sure! What was her teacher even thinking? Is he trying to get her killed?_

 _Before she could complain to Minato regarding the set up, her father's words echoed in her head._

 _'_ _Remember your roots.'_

 _It weirded her out at first. But memories of when she was around two or three years of age, already being made to train to death by her clan's elders flashed in her mind. The young Higanbana proceeded to take a deep breath, before she stepped forward. Her eyes steeling and burning with determination. She had to give her this spar her best shot. If she could not beat Kakashi, then at least she'll try to get a hit in._

 _"Your fight will be strictly taijutsu only. No weapons nor chakra imbued attacks allowed. If any of you uses weapons, ninjutsu or genjutsu, then I will immediately declare the other the winner." Minato said, as he took a step back. His eyes going back and forth to look at the tensed forms of his students._

 _"Ready?"_

 _Naoko licked her lips nervously as she watched Kakashi across her. He was standing still, hands inside his pockets in a laid-back manner. She had no time to think that he was slacking off, because she knew that he was more serious than anyone she had met when it comes to training and this whole ninja stuff._

 _Her body shifted into a fighting stance—left foot at the back, her hands clenched into fist just in front of her chest and her body slightly facing the left side. A stance that was ingrained in her body, whether she liked it or not._

 _"Fight!"_

 _Kakashi charged at her at an incredible speed, and for a moment she wondered how she was able to see him at all—although barely. A fist shot out to her face's direction, but she was able to avoid it in the nick of time. Luckily._

 _She grabbed it and Kakashi twisted out of her hold, but she immediately raised her left leg to knee him in the guts. But he avoided that as well. Another punch was aimed at her face again, and this time she knew that Kakashi definitely wanted to make a knuckle sandwich out of her._

 _She slapped his hand away using the heel of her palm, as she slid back a little before aiming a roundhouse kick at his face. The silver-haired boy's eyes widened a tad bit at the little distance between him and her kick. It seemed as if her legs elongated for a moment there._

 _The two jumped back, away from each other. And this time, Naoko was the first one to engage. She threw a barrage of punches, about half of it aimed at his face and the rest were aimed at his abdomen._

 _He side stepped and grabbed one of her hands, before she could neck chop him. Naoko, on the other hand, slid her right foot between Kakashi's and tried to take him by surprise by kicking his right shin. His knees buckled a little at the sudden force and sharp pain, which made him wobble a little._

 _Then, Naoko turned around, twisting her body and Kakashi's arm behind his back before aiming a low kick behind his knee to try to make him kneel further. But he avoided it in time, and he faced her as he aimed the heel of his palm deep in her solar plexus._

 _Naoko stumbled back and almost fell on her butt, while holding on to her stomach with one hand. She coughed, trying to calm herself down. Her breathing was starting to get a little ragged due to her peer's last attack._

 _Kakashi stood up. This time, he seemed to radiate a more intense aura than before they started. Naoko made a face, before she took on her fighting stance again._ _She slowly circled around Kakashi, who was now more alert than ever. He had underestimated Naoko earlier, thinking that she won't be able to keep up with him at all, and that he'd finish the sparring after a few minutes._

 _The girl was more adept and skillful than he had expected. She was witty, and had a few moves at her disposal that took him by surprise. Kakashi knew that it wasn't the extent of her abilities. He knew that she was still hiding something under her sleeves. Figuratively._ _Her last attack had caught him off-guard because she had used a weird move that he had not been taught in the academy._

 _'Are they teaching a new style to the other kids at the academy?' He thought, making sure to keep his eyes trained on the girl raring to go before him._

 _Kakashi's right foot shifted forward a little, and a heel of a sandal suddenly loomed over his face._

 _'Crap!' He thought, as he blocked it with both of his forearms._

 _The weight behind the attack was heavier than he expected for a girl the same age as him. He saw the smug smile on Naoko's face under his crossed arms._

 _He quickly grab a hold of her foot, before she could retreat and tugged at it hard. Naoko tried pulling back her foot a little before using it to kick his chest. Although, it wasn't that hard, it was still enough to make him let go of her._

 _Their fight is going over the ten-minute mark already, more or less._ _Kakashi still had not gotten a clean hit at Naoko. His first attack on her solar plexus was not hard enough to make her give up. On the other hand, he had already taken a hit from her. No matter how shallow the hit may be, it was still a hit_ _in the end, although it doesn't apply to him._

 _The silver-haired boy_ _rushed forward, quicker than before, as he ducked his head before a fist could directly connect at his face. Then, his palm connected on her chin. Her head tilted back, as she stumbled backwards._

 _'Finally!' He thought, as a satisfied smirk took over his lips._

 _Naoko had taken a direct hit on her face downside up_ _and it_ _made her a little disoriented. She thought that she had felt all her baby teeth actually vibrating because of the impact._ _Then,_ _Kakashi sent a barrage of punches her way which she barely avoided or blocked just in time. He didn't give her time to breathe as he continued to rain her with attacks._

 _"Oof!" The young heiress groaned, as another fist landed on her solar plexus. She needed to get her head in the game now or else, Kakashi will seriously make a mochi made out of her using his fists soon enough._

 _Just before Kakashi could roundhouse kick her, Naoko countered it with a kick on the torso which had actually landed... Thankfully!_

 _Her execution was a little off though, because she was rushing but it was still enough to catch the silver-haired Hatake by surprise._

 _'Remember your roots.'_

 _Again, her father's words rang in her ears. Naoko's pale red orbs flashed with pride for a moment, as she quickly shifted her right foot back before launching into a jumping axe-kick at the boy before her._ _Kakashi had avoided that too._

 _Before he could launch an attack himself, Naoko had jumped again while twisting her body mid-air. Her upper body, almost parallel to the ground, as a_ _leg suddenly appeared beside him, which he completely failed to see. It landed squarely on the side of his face, and the force made him fly to a nearby tree, making it shake because of the sudden impact._

 _"Ugh," he groaned as he tried to get his bearings back._

 _Naoko stood before him, when he opened his eyes. She was breathing hard and sweating heavily now. It was already over the ten minutes since they had started._ _She held out a hand at him._

 _He stared at her incredulously, looking at the hand then at her face, then back at her hand again. Kakashi heard her sigh before he saw her reach out to him, and taking his left hand in hers. She pulled him up and dusted the dirt off of his shirt._

 _"Wanna continue?" Naoko asked, her head tilting to the side and face morphing into a slightly concerned expression._

 _Silence ensued between them for a few moments, gauging one another. A hundred and one thoughts running in Kakashi's mind per second. Until he spoke, before his mind could even register what he was doing._

 _"What was that move? I don't think the academy taught that kind of style of taijutsu."_

 _Upon hearing what his self had said, Kakashi felt his face heating up because of embarrassment. He hoped that it didn't not spread throughout the rest of his face, including his ears._

 _'It's just the heat, and the fatigue,' he reasoned with himself as he waited for his peer's response._

 _"It's a style I learned back in my village," Naoko answered, her expression darkening a little and Kakashi wondered why._

 _"What was it called?" He asked once more, not noticing the way the young Higanbana's face becoming gloomier._

 _"It's called the Rising Tiger style," was her short response before she turned her back to him. Kakashi caught a flash of irritation on her expression though, before she did._

 _"Do you still want to continue or not?" Naoko asked this time, as she marched back to her position before they started, waiting for him although her patience was already thinning due to his earlier questions regarding her past._

 _"You'll lose after this, you know," the silver-haired boy declared, feeling his lips quirk into a small smirk despite the face mask hiding the rest of his visage._

 _"You wish!" Was Naoko's response as she took on her fighting stance._

 _The two had engaged in a battle of fists and legs for a few more minutes, punching holes into the trees as the other tried to avoid taking the hit. It wasn't until it was almost sunset that the winner had been declared._

 _"Kakashi wins today," Minato announced as he looked at his two students. His expression was brimming with pride._ _They had done a job well done, especially for Naoko's first sparring._

 _The both of them were sprawled out on the ground breathing heavily at the intense exercise that they were put through. Naoko rubbed her chest, feeling her heart pounding inside rapidly._ _She groaned, as she realized that she'll definitely be having a body ache during the rest of the weekend. Hopefully, she won't be bedridden or else Rin will be pouting again._

 _The Higanbana's only heiress had learned in the short duration of time she had spent living and and playing with Rin, that the latter was not one to be messed with especially when it comes to promises. The brunette can hold a grudge for a lifetime! Well—no, not really, but Rin certainly didn't let her live down the memory of her failing to make it on the day that the three of them had agreed to go to village's market because Naoko had to do an errand for Inori, that she had forgotten that day. It took her exactly three days to get Rin to stop ignoring her._

 _She did not want to have a repeat of that time. Oh, the horror. It makes her shudder, just by thinking of that memory._

 _"Next time, I'll win. But someone carry me home this time," Naoko let out another groan. Minato chuckled at her silliness while Kakashi smiled a little underneath his mask._

 _'All is well that ends well, I guess.' Minato thought, smiling widely more to himself than at his students._

 _It seems that the two were able to somehow get over their initial impressions of each other now. Hopefully, it will continue that way._

* * *

"Oi,Naoko!" Someone called out to her, as a hand landed on her head.

"What the—" She rubbed the sore spot on her head, and looked at her attacker just to find her fellow student frowning down at her, an open hand raised above her head.

His eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes flashed with irritation. Naoko knew that underneath his mask, his lips were upturned.

"Seriously, I was calling out to you since earlier, you know?" Naoko rolled her eyes. Her face regaining its cool expression.

"What a way to wake up someone who's napping," she mumbled as stood up and dusted off the leaves that fell on her, while she was resting.

"Inori-san is here to see you," Kakashi pointed to the entrance of the training grounds and surely, there was the said Yamanaka standing with his arms crossed over his chest. A stern expression making its way on his face.

"Eh, where's Minato-sensei?" The Higanbana heiress asked as she proceeded to make her way to her psychiatrist slash chakra sensing instructor.

"He is currently in a meeting with Hokage-sama, so he asked me to tell you that training's off today. I happened to bump into Inori-san on the way here," Kakashi explained in a low voice.

"Oh well, thanks Kakashi! I'll see you sometime soon then," Naoko said as she waved at him without glancing back. Her arms latched onto one of Inori's and tugged at it, disabling him from crossing it over his chest.

There was a wide smile that bloomed on her rosy lips afterwards as she excitedly chatted to her other instructor about what she will be learning today about chakra sensing or chakra controlling. And the list just goes on from there.

But that wasn't what caught the younger Hatake's attention. It was the rare sight of seeing Naoko smiling, to say the least. He had never seen her genuinely smiling so widely.

The only time he did was when Minato had talked to her about something he did not know, while they were in the middle of training. Or that one time, where he had seen her talking to some elder while he was on his way to the market to buy some fish. Even then, he knew that she was only putting up a facade.

Otherwise, it was still not as wide nor as bright as her smile right now.

His frown finally dissipated at the unusual sight. And he found himself staring in awe, as he watched Naoko and Inori walk away and disappear from his line of sight.

* * *

 **[A/N]: *whispers*** **My exams are almost over! And now, updates will be regular again, if not every week. Hihi~** **(/◕ヮ◕)/**

 **Anyways, here's a showdown between Kakashi and Nao. I hope y'all liked it! This is my first time to have written a fighting scene. Hopefully, I did some justice to it. (^O^)／**

 **Some might wonder why Kakashi was being pushed back, and it's because Naoko did not use the orthodox taijutsu taught in the academy, but had used their clan's style instead. *wink wink***

 **Anyway, thank you very much for your patience and support! *kisses***

 **'Til the next update~ ヾ(*´∀｀*)ﾉ**


	8. Of Memories: Dawn of a Bad Premonition

Kakashi walked down the streets of Konoha aimlessly, heading to nowhere in particular. It was an unbelievably slow day, and he did not know what to do with the rest of his time.

He had nothing more to do after Minato had asked him to tell Naoko that there was no training that day.

His eyes drifted from stall to stall, scrutinizing the goods that were being sold in the marketplace. There were a variety ranging from cheap accessories, toys and daily necessities to expensive jewelries and weaponry.

His pace slowed down, until he stopped in front of a bookstore's large window. A certain book that was displayed caught his attention, and he immediately went inside to take a closer look at it.

Once Kakashi was inside, he picked it up and read the title. It read:

 _The Legend of the Seer_ s

To say that he was interested about the book was an understatement. And so, Kakashi went to the store owner and paid for the book.

"Oh-ho? What a good find you have there, boy," the store owner looked at him with an impressed glint in his eyes.

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed in curiosity, as he waited for the older man to continue. The man leaned over the counter, as if he did not want anyone listening in to their conversation.

"You know, it was said in the legend that there are people who can predict the future." The store owner said in a hushed voice.

Upon seeing the distrustful expression on Kakashi's face, the man grinned. The young Hatake then figured that it was not a good thing to believe everything what the man says.

 _A ninja must see what's underneath._

And soon, he found himself on his way home. When he got inside and slipped his sandals off, he saw his dad rushing back and forth inside their humble abode.

"Dad, I'm home," he greeted, as he padded across the hallway and into their living room.

It was a bit small, but it had a low, rectangular table in the center and cushions where guests could take a seat comfortably.

A few seconds later, Sakumo's head popped out of one of the rooms-his bedroom-as he smiled at his son who just pulled out his new reading material from its packaging.

"Welcome back, Kakashi. Why are you home early? No training?" He asked, as he walked out of the room with a ton of scrolls gathered in his arms.

The older Hatake laid it all on the table, and opened a few of the said scrolls. Some were empty, and some had writings in weird sequences that he barely recognized as a seal of sorts.

"Minato-sensei had to go see the Hokage," Kakashi replied, although a little delayed since he had been watching his dad stuff his things inside his pockets.

"Are you off on a mission again, dad?" Sakumo nodded at his son's question, as he shot him an apologetic smile.

Kakashi paid no heed to it though. He was already used to it. Plus, he looked up to his dad's dedication to his job as a ninja of Konoha, and he hoped to be like him someday.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi. But I'll spend more time with you when I come home again." The Hatake patriarch stood up in his full height, as he smiled at Kakashi who had began reading his new book.

It caught his attention and upon reading the title, it made his eyes widen a tad bit before he smiled-although more to himself.

He ruffled his head fondly as he made his way to the front door of their house. Sakumo stopped his actions when he opened the door halfway, as he turned his body slightly.

"Aren't you going to see me off, Kakashi?" He saw his younger carbon copy setting his book down and walked towards him.

"Have a safe trip, dad." Kakashi said, his eyes curving into crescents that indicated he was smiling up at him.

"Be good, alright? I'll hear from Nao-chan if you're behaving badly," Sakumo's expression turned into one of mock sternness, while Kakashi's smile immediately dropped at the mention of his female peer's name.

The younger Hatake certainly did not like the way his dad had made it seem as if Naoko was close to him. Although, after their sparring, he did not seem to mind her so much in a negative way like when they first met.

Actually, the Higanbana girl was not too shabby herself-appearance-wise and skill-wise. What he did mind most of the times was her ability to get on another person's nerves, whether in a joking manner or in a offensive manner.

"Well, I'm off now. I'll see you in two weeks, son." His father waved at him as he left the house, leaving him all alone to fend for himself for the next two weeks.

Kakashi closed the door, then went back to what he was doing before his father convinced him to see him off. He sat back down on the cushion in the living room, as he re-opened the book and continued where he left off.

It wasn't even the second page yet when a certain passage had made him stop halfway from reading. He read it again just to make sure that he had clearly understood the words written in it.

His dark gray eyes narrowed. His hands which held the book lowered slightly as he tried his best to stay calm and digest what he had read.

No. There was just no way that this book was true, nor the people being described in it. There was no way that people who can see the future exists, right?

Kakashi's young mind swirled with unanswered questions. Was there anyone who knows the truth aside from what was being told in this book? Was there anyone whom he could ask to satisfy his burning curiosity?

He plopped down on the hardwood floor of their living room, holding the open book over his face as he read once more. He swept away all his thoughts regarding the matter that he was mulling over for the meantime.

Word for word, he took it all in and did his best to understand everything what was written down on the pages. It wasn't until later on in his life, that he would know the reality of it all.

* * *

 _Kakashi walked lifelessly, his eyes devoid of any emotions that she had gotten used to for almost half a year now. No signs of irritation. No smart-Alec comments. No nothing. It made her uneasy, to say the least._

 _Minato had decided to approach him first, upon seeing the state he was in. Clearly, he, too, had felt that there was absolutely wrong with the way one of his precious students was acting. He put a gentle, yet firm hand on his shoulder._

 _Naoko saw her silver-haired fellow pupil stiffening under their teacher's touch, before shaking his head at something that Minato had said to him in hushed voice. Seriously. This behavior was so unlike him._

 _He may be and might act indifferently most of the times, but he was not this... this—this walking corpse before her eyes! His dark gray eyes looked so somber and she feared that he'd disappear any moment._

 _Then, her eyes widened at a sudden thought that went through her mind. He_ had _been lifeless a few weeks prior, but not this much. They just paid not a single ryo on it since they figured that he might just be having a hard time with something._

 _She did try to ask him one time. However, all she got from him was a scathing remark about it as 'none of her business'. The way he had said those words were much harsher than when the time after she had set him up against his father for a harmless prank._

 _Also, even if he was silent most of the time, he will make sure that he'll get the last word in no matter what the circumstance. The two of them had built a friendly relationship, in which they show that they get along with each other through sarcastic banters_ _._

 _Which is why, she is wondering why he had been so silent for the past few weeks aside from being tensed and impatient. There would always be an expression on his face as well that she couldn't quite point out, which scared the heck out of her._

 _Again, it bothered her. It felt like seeing herself in the mirror all over again when she first arrived at Konoha. But this time, instead of pale red orbs gazing back at her; instead of the ruby-red hair flowing past her shoulders; and instead of the girlish features—it was the very image of Kakashi._

 _It was a Kakashi who looked as if he had could disappear at any moment. It was a Kakashi who looked like he had been suddenly taken a plunge in the deep waters with no way back to the surface. And it was a Kakashi who looked as if his very world was pulled out beneath his feet._

 _A Kakashi who looked just like Naoko when she had lost everything important in her life._

 _She barely heard_ _what he said_ _when she came over to console him and it made her freeze on her spot. But hearing what he said just confirmed her assumptions, and her heart just broke in a million pieces for him._ _And for herself._

 _No, there's no way she that what he said is true. There's just no way!_

 _"No way," Naoko croaked, suddenly feeling something had been in her throat._

 _"There's no way that happened..." Her eyes watered as she repeated Kakashi's words in her head._

 _Sakumo was strong. He wasn't the type of person who would succumb to that kind of... abstract reason. The uncle Sakumo she knew was kind—always so gentle with her. The uncle Sakumo that she knew was always happy and glad to see her and his son getting along well._

 _So, why? Why did he have to leave her and Kakashi behind?_

 _"Kakashi, tell me it's not true," she clutched onto his dark-colored shirt, clenching it tightly in her hands and hoping that he was only pulling her leg just like always when they were messing around with each other._

 _Tears flowed down her pale, rosy cheeks. Her nose slowly turning pinkish in color, as she sniffed and looked Kakashi who stared back at her dully._

 _"Please, Kakashi," she pleaded. Her voice had been barely a whisper, but she was sure that he had heard her._

 _"...ao?"_

A far-away voice suddenly echoed in her head. Her tear-filled eyes looked up, and searched for the source of the voice but found nothing.

 _"Nao?"_

The same voice called out to her, and still, the person was nowhere to be found. When she turned to look at Kakashi again, she saw that he was missing as well.

 _"Kakashi?"_ She called out, but no one answered her.

Naoko looked left and right, and her surroundings suddenly seemed to become distorted until she was in an empty room with white walls and floors.

 _"Nao!"_

Her eyes shot wide open. Pale, red orbs studied the face before her. She immediately recognized the light hair and bluish-green eyes that stared right back at her.

"I-Inori... sensei..." Naoko breathed out, while tears continued flowing down her cheeks.

Yamanaka Inori's expression was filled with concern towards the mental state of his student, as he watched her gasp for air.

"I-I have to go..." The child muttered, as she scrambled to get up. Her knees buckled at the sudden movement and Inori caught her by the arm.

"Naoko," he called out in a stern tone which made the young girl halt as she looked at him.

"First, calm down." He told her, as he searched her face and eyes, and continued. "Tell me what happened."

"I-I..." Naoko stuttered, as she was forced to take a seat in front of one of her teachers.

"I-I had a dream..." She started, while looking down at her fiddling fingers.

"But it wasn't the usual dream or nightmare that I get. I-It's... It's more like a bad premonition," her breath hitched slightly, as she forced the last words out of her mouth. Her fists clenched tightly on top of her lap.

"What happened? In that dream of yours." Inori asked, his tone gentler than the one he used earlier.

"N-No..." Naoko shook her head, as she hastily wiped her tears away.

"I-I have to go, sensei. I need to tell uncle Sakumo to not go anywhere today!" She said, her voice raising by a few octaves and slowly becoming hysterical.

"Dear? What's happening?" Inori's wife, Kaori, asked as she walked into the sitting room after hearing the commotion.

A gasp could be heard as she saw the little girl crying. Her facial expression morphed into one of concern as she approached Naoko in order to comfort her.

Inori sighed, as he combed his fingers through his light tresses out of frustration. He knew what was happening to Naoko, and what her recent dream entailed to everyone. And he had the gut feeling that it was anything good, going by the girl who broke down, crying in front of him.

"You have to tell me first why you have to go meet Sakumo." He finally said, after he waited for a little while for Naoko to calm down.

His wife patted her small back rhythmically, and the former shot him an _'explain what's happening'_ look. Inori waved his hand subtly, before turning back his attention to the Higanbana child.

"I-I'm not sure how... And I know you won't believe me," he heard Naoko mutter under her breath.

 _'Oh, believe me when I say that I'll believe you,'_ he thought, and motioned her to continue.

"I don't exactly know how it happened but in the dream that I saw, I met Kakashi and Minato-sensei for our usual training and..." Naoko trailed off, as her eyes looked as if she was staring at something into the far-off distance.

"Kakashi was not acting like his usual self—no sarcastic comments and the like. He was just... _so lifeless."_ The child took a deep breath, before her pale, red orbs focused in on Inori, which slightly startled the older man.

"It was as if seeing myself, when it finally sunk in to me that I had no family left," she mumbled, clenching her already tightened fists and she could feel Kaori's grip on her shoulders as well.

Inori waited for Naoko to continue, but all he got in the end was a short statement that made him shiver at how solemn it sounded from her.

"And what Kakashi said to me, I think you already _know_ what happened, Inori-sensei," was what she said.

* * *

 **[A/N]: Hiya! Rui here. (/◕ヮ◕)/**

 **Dark Rose Charm - I'm glad I was able to give the fighting scene some justice. I had to make use of my experience in Taekwondo and re-imagine Naoko's fighting style. It was hard! But I'm happy that you liked it. *grins***

 **lovinurburks - I can't wait to write it as well! /slapped. And more fight scenes to come too!**

 **LPWomer - Aww, thank you so much! *wink wink* Of course! I have a lot in store for Nao. She hadn't even met half of the characters yet. *insert evil laugh***

 **Vixen of Mischief - Oh, don't worry! That, she did. Hihi. I think Kakashi's pride was hurt—but Kakashi is Kakashi so... /bricked. Yaaay! Thank you for waiting!**

 **I'm very sorry for the late update, but here's the next chapter! I have been kinda busy the past few days.**

 ***whispers* And I've been into playing Mobile Legends as well, which is why I got a little _too_ preoccupied. Tee-hee! (ﾟ3ﾟ)～**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked the latest update. Drama commences from this chapter onward... probably. But yeah, that.**

 **Thank you for all the love and support that you give to this story!**

 **—Rui ( ิ◕㉨◕ ิ)**


	9. Of Memories: Turmoil

**Hola! *whispers* Rui's back~**

 **lovinurburks - No worries, dear! S'no problem. *wink wink* More of that info in the following chapters... _hopefully._**

 **Dark Rose Charm - Well, you never know what I have in store for you guys. I just _might_ listen to the majority's pleas. Hihi. But meh, let's see how I'll make it turn out. Hohoho~**

 **fluffpenguin - I actually planned it all out in regards to Naoko's abilities. Know this though, I do not plan to make her overly powerful that the story _and her_ get boring. I'm sure you noticed that it's kind of a slow burn, but it'll all be explained in the future chapters. Please look forward to it! **(◎⌒○⌒◎)

* * *

The sun was already up when Naoko had awoken from her deep slumber. She had cried herself to sleep last night, because of the dream that she had seen yesterday. She rubbed the sleep off of her eyes, but it didn't help lessen the grogginess she felt.

How long had she fallen asleep? Based on how high up the sun was already, it must've been noon now.

 _'I wonder why Rin hadn't woken me up yet,'_ she thought as she stretched her arms over her head. Her bones creaked at the action.

 _'I need to go apologize to Inori-sensei as well. I think I scared him and Kaori-san.'_

Naoko pursed her lips in guilt as she stood up from her bed and prepared for the remainder of the day ahead of her. She had put on a simple, dark green shirt and black shorts. As she stared at the mirror in the bathroom, she saw her reflection.

The image she saw on it made her wince in a mixture of disgust and disbelief. Her eyes were still puffy because of her constant crying yesterday, even after she came back to the orphanage. It earned her questioning looks from the other kids, as well as an inquiry from Shinju—their caretaker—asking if she was alright. But, she just shrugged off everything and headed to bed directly.

"Nao?" Rin called out as she poked her head inside the shared room. Naoko turned her head a little and saw her brunette friend giving her a concerned look.

"I'm here," the red-haired girl mumbled as she dusted off her outfit. "What's up?" Naoko asked, her voice still slightly hoarse.

"Are you alright?" Rin asked, as she stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her. For now, only Naoko and her were the only occupants of the room.

"Yeah," Naoko shortly answered. Her pale red orbs darted all over the room, completely avoiding Rin's huge, brown eyes.

"Are you sure—" She was cut off by a sudden knock on the door.

"Rin, Nao? Are you in there? Obito-kun is looking for you two," they heard Shinju say from the other side of the door.

Naoko saw Rin's eyes suddenly widen and it flashed with realization. The former was puzzled as to what it was, but she was immediately relieved of her confusion.

"It's Obito!" Her friend exclaimed.

"Then, you should go."

Rin looked at her, wondering if she seriously meant what she had just said. She felt that Naoko was acting a little distant today as well. She knew that something had happened yesterday, but Naoko was stubborn and didn't want to confide in her. It hurt her, to be honest. But like what she and Obito had agreed upon the other day, they would wait for Naoko until she wanted to open up to them herself.

"I have to go somewhere today. I need to go to Inori-sensei," Naoko explained upon realizing what Rin's look meant. A sigh escaped her friend's lips, but she was glad that she not questioned any further. Then, she proceeded to get something out from her backpack, which was the leather-bound book that is their remaining family heirloom.

"Alright. This is the second time you're ditching me... and Obito," Rin reminded Naoko, which the latter returned with a lopsided grin.

"Sorry. But it's a little urgent," the Higanbana heiress said, but did not elaborate any further.

"Come with us halfway?" The brunette girl bargained, her eyes pleading silently to her friend.

Naoko pretended to roll her eyes in an exaggerated manner, before she agreed.

"Fine."

The two giggled and headed outside the room and the orphanage to meet up with Obito. He wore the same dark garb and goggles that Naoko had gotten used to seeing on him.

"Rin! Nao!" Obito yelled as soon as he spotted his two female friends. He smiled widely at them, glad that he was finally able to see them.

His lips soon became upturned at the sight of Naoko who looked like she had been to hell and back. Even if she had tried her best to fix the rest of her appearance, her eyes were still a tad bit puffy which made it obvious that she had cried her heart out just recently.

"What happened to you?" He asked bluntly, not noticing the holes that Rin was drilling on his head using her eyes.

Naoko shifted on her feet uncomfortably, not liking the fact that Obito was putting her on the spot. She wanted to smack him upside the head right now for not having any delicacy, but she knew that he meant well. In fact, it's one of the things that she had grown to like of him.

"You know, just remembered something from the past," Naoko vaguely said. She didn't like lying through her teeth, especially to her friends.

Obito's expression turned grim, yet apologetic. While Rin, she had a thoughtful expression on as if she was analyzing what she had told them.

"Anyway, what are you guys up to today?" She asked, trying to shift the topic away from her. Luckily, Obito had immediately bitten the bait.

"We're supposed to go sight-seeing you know? Because you said the other day that you haven't had the chance to take a closer tour around Konoha," Obito said, his expression as bright as the afternoon sun. Naoko's stomach churned with guilt, after seeing Obito's bright smile and eyes glinting with excitement.

"I'm sorry, but I can't come today Obito," Naoko replied, putting her hands together apologetically and quietly hoping that it would work. After all, she had blew her friends' plans off a lot of times already during the past few days.

"She said that she had to go to Inori-san. Urgent matter." Rin explained briefly to their dark-haired friend whose shoulders slumped in disappointment.

It was obvious that he had been looking forward to this day that the three of them would be able to spend some quality time. And now, Naoko had ruined it for them. She bit her lower lip, not knowing what else to say in order to gain her friends' forgiveness.

"I promise that next time, I will come with you guys for that tour and training." Naoko said, smiling a little at them which they returned in kind.

"That's a promise!" The both of them shouted in unison as they glomped her in a hug, making her laugh and making her forget for a moment.

Naoko wished it was always like this.

 _Peaceful._

* * *

Naoko had separated half-way from Rin and Obito who had decided to head to the park, which was on the other side of the village.

The red-haired girl made her way to the Yamanaka compound, as if she owned the place. She had been going in and out of that place so often that a lot of locals as well as clan members knew her face by now. Well, who wouldn't if you were someone who was close to the head of a prominent clan?

Naoko bowed her head to the older clan members she happened to bump into along the way. As she turned left, she had spotted the familiar back of her silver-haired peer. The Higanbana girl's eyebrow furrowed as she tried to determine why he was currently in this area.

 _'What is he doing here?'_ She thought.

A frown settled on her visage as she sped up her pace in order to catch up to Kakashi who was taking his own sweet time to walk. It was as if he was taking a stroll in the park. She noticed him turn his head a little and she knew then, that he had noticed her. Naoko tapped his shoulder, as she finally fell into step with him.

"What?" Kakashi asked.

His tone held no emotion but she could see the surprise at the way his eyebrows rose up and how he had eyed her afterwards, like he was wondering why she was here before it went back to his usual bored expression.

At least, that's what Naoko is telling herself since there had not been a day that Kakashi had removed his mask in front of ever since she met him. She had gotten used to that fact already, and she didn't mind it as much as the first time she had seen it on him.

"Are you heading to Inori-sensei's as well?" Naoko inquired, her gaze on the path ahead of them. She actually already had a nagging feeling by now that Kakashi would be present during the talk that she was going to have with Yamanaka Inori—and maybe, Minato would be there as well.

* * *

 _"Remember to come here tomorrow as well. I want to talk to you some more," Inori had said to Naoko, who had just calmed down from crying so hard. She was about to speak up, but he held out a hand in front of her face to indicate that he wasn't done talking just yet._

 _"Tomorrow," he said, with a hint of firmness in his voice. "I want you to go home for today. Take a good rest and put your mind at ease." Naoko nodded her head—although, reluctantly—upon seeing the unusual strict glint in her teacher's eyes._

"Oi," she heard Kakashi call out using his usual bored tone—as she had labeled by now.

"What?" Naoko asked as she snapped out of her of thoughts. Kakashi stared at her weirdly.

"We're here," were the only words he said as he let his gaze shift onto the wooden gates of Yamanaka Inori's household.

"Oh," was the only response she could come up with, feeling her face slightly heat up. Naoko cleared her throat in an attempt to relieve the awkwardness between them, before she pushed the gate open.

Kakashi spluttered at her bold action of entering someone else's house without even excusing herself or knocking first, especially to a well-known clan head's house.

"W-What are you doing?!" He asked, his voice raising a few octaves than his normal one, which caught the girl's attention.

This time, it was her turn to look at him weirdly.

"Uhm, I'm coming in. What else?" She said, as she was about half-way inside the premises.

"You can't just do that!"

Naoko's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at what he said.

"Why not? I always came in without knocking though." She retorted, tilting her head to side a little. Kakashi, on the other hand, face-palmed himself at the airheadedness of Naoko. Before the two children could argue any further, Naoko heard the familiar voice of Kaori from the front porch.

"Nao-chan, is that you?" They heard the woman ask, which the girl replied, "Yes, I'm here! Be there in a minute, Kaori-san!"

"What are you waiting for, you dummy?" She grinned teasingly at Kakashi who only rolled his eyes at her, before trailing after her into the Yamanaka clan's head's abode.

Once inside, Kakashi stared in awe at the zen-like vibe their home gave off. It had a plum tree blooming by the front porch, and a small pond with Koi fish swimming in it. There was also the traditional _shishi-odoshi_ that spilled water every time it see-sawed back and forth on the pond.

As for the home, describing it as huge was an understatement. It was a mansion of some sorts. It had red-tiled roofing like how most houses in Konoha were, and dark, wooden-flooring. It complimented the cream-colored walls of the interior of their house. Other than that, it was kept quite simple using wooden furniture which he had been able to see even if only a little.

"It's peaceful, isn't it?" Kakashi heard Naoko mutter under her breath beside him. He slowly nodded his head in agreement as they made their way to the porch where Inori and his wife were sitting in front of small, rectangular, low table.

Across them was their instructor—Minato, who was the only one standing. Although, he was more like leaning against the wall with arms crossed over his chest. He had a small smile pasted on his good-looking visage, and to be honest, it actually unnerved the both of them upon seeing that he was present in this... _meeting—_ or whatever the adults might want call this.

"Inori-sensei, Minato-sensei," Naoko addressed both her teachers and smiled at Kaori who returned it with her own blinding one.

In almost three months of living in Konoha, Naoko had come a long way, in her opinion. From being a bull-headed and sarcastic child _(although she still is from time to time depending on the person),_ into a child that gives due respect to her elders especially to those who deserve it.

Ever since what happened to her clan, she now wanted to treasure every moment that she had of the people who had grown close to her during the short span of time she resided here.

"For starters, the both of you should take your seats. I believe this talk would take a while." Inori motioned to the pair of cushions on the other side of the table across from him and his wife.

The pair of children immediately followed his instructions and settled down, albeit there was reluctance that could be seen from their expressions. Naoko and Kakashi looked at each other, the latter with an unreadable expression despite the mask he was wearing.

"Is this about what happened the other day?" Naoko winced upon remembering how she horridly broke down in front of her chakra sensing instructor _slash_ psychiatrist and his wife, scaring the living daylights out of the latter in the process.

She could see by the corner of her pale, red orbs that her yellow-haired teacher shuffled to take a seat on the far edge of the low table. Kakashi and Kaori on his sides, and directly facing all of them as if he was the head of the family rather than Inori.

On the other hand, Kakashi looked utterly confused about the topic that he could not even follow. He just sat there, wondering what in the Hokage's name was he doing here when it seemed like all of them were ignoring his presence right now.

"Are you talking about the day I sent Kakashi to the training grounds to tell you we had no training?" Minato asked, as he leaned forward. His hands were clasped together and his chin was resting on it, while his eyes were set on Naoko who kept quiet.

Kakashi immediately perked up at the mention of his name. His dark gray eyes shifting from person to person occupying the table. Apparently, they knew something that he didn't, which irritated him somehow because he still couldn't figure out why they needed him here in the first place if they were going to exclude him from the conversation.

 _'Were they talking about the day when Minato-sensei had to go to a meeting with the Hokage?'_

His thoughts were cut off when Naoko sighed beside him. Kakashi observed her brooding expression curiously. She seemed down for some reason—or gloomy, for that matter. The adults kept silent for about a moment, before Inori spoke up once again.

"Minato-kun, I'm sure you're aware about Nao's... _circumstances,_ " the Yamanaka's clan head said quietly. " _You_ were the one who brought _her_ here after all." The rest kept quiet, except for Kakashi whose eyes widened at that.

The word _surprised_ was an understatement to describe what he was feeling regarding that revelation. He knew that Naoko was a new face around Konoha because he had not seen her or her parents before that. Otherwise, he'd at least recognize her face. And it was also unusual for some random kid to be assigned to a jounin like Minato so suddenly, when that person had just entered the academy without any prior knowledge about being a ninja.

He looked at Naoko by the corner of his eyes, whom he had seen biting her lower lip thoughtfully. She was fiddling with her fingers as well. A habit that he had taken notice of when she was nervous or out of her comfort zone. Kakashi rarely saw that habit of hers, but his observant nature had just registered that in his mind as if on auto-pilot.

"Is that why she's getting special treatment?" He finally blurted out, pointing his thumb to the direction of Naoko, which she slapped away and took mock offence at what he said. The elders chuckled at the bickering children, before Minato decided to answer his question.

"Yes, but that's only a small part of the reason."

Kakashi made a face behind his mask when his sensei didn't bother explaining any further. Inori cleared his throat, earning him the attention of everyone once more.

"Back to the original topic at hand," he started, linking his fingers together and laying his hands on top of the table. The Yamanaka patriarch stared at Naoko intensely, "Nao, do you know why you're having those... _dreams_ of yours?"

Pale, red orbs met with bluish-green ones. It was as if the two were having a stare-down, battling each other and waiting for the other to crumble under the intensity of each other's gazes. And once more, Kakashi lost them. Just what are _they_ talking about?

Silently, Naoko finally nodded her head slowly, as her hand took something from her right side. It was a leather-bound journal of some sorts. It looked quite fragile in the binding, but other than that, it was still pretty much intact. She just held to it under the sight of the adults with them, possibly waiting for the right moment to reveal it to them.

"I know all about there is to know of _my clan_ ," the Higanbana child began in a quiet voice. Kakashi noticed how their elders' eyes widened in unison, while his just narrowed as they waited in suspense.

"After all, I'm the only heiress—the _only one_ left of my clan, in fact." And with that statement, her expression turned grim. An unusual sight for the typically stoic yet snarky girl, but Minato and Inori had already seen it a lot of times especially during the first few days since she came to Konoha.

"Here," the red-haired heiress finally said after a moment's pause. Naoko set the journal on the table, which her mother had labeled as _their_ family heirloom. At once, all eyes were fixated on it. Inori hesitated to reach out for it, before he finally gently grasped the said object in his hand.

He turned to the first page, and what he had read made his eyebrows furrow. And it made everyone _sans_ Naoko, curious, to say the least. His bluish-green orbs continued to scan the words written in the handwriting of Naoko's mother.

"I think you should read this, Minato," the light-haired clan head said as he handed the said journal to the yellow-haired jounin, who gingerly took it and started reading the page it was opened to. His eyebrows shot up in mild surprise, then looked over at Naoko before going back to reading the rest of the contents.

"I don't exactly know what else was written in there. But there were some sort of formulas there using animal's names. My mother hadn't gotten that far to teaching me those yet. She said it was different than what is being originally taught within our clan, and that my generation's case is different," Naoko explained, then trailed off at the end. Her mind drifted off to the memories of her mother that seemed as if it was only yesterday that they were still together.

"I can see why she said that, but that's another topic to be broached for another day." Minato said as he shut the book close, and passed it back to Naoko who hugged it close to her chest.

"Let me get something straight first," Kakashi spoke, his tone held an impatient tone to it seeing as he was ignored for quite some time already.

The adults were trying to avoid disclosing so much confidential information to someone who was not even jounin level yet, but Kakashi understood that. The thing was, why was he asked to come here in the first place? It was the question that was bugging him ever since he stepped foot in the Yamanaka's compound.

"Nao lost her family to... _something_ ," Kakashi looked at her briefly before training his eyes on his jounin instructor. "But her mother left her this journal that contains a lot of information about their clan." They all nodded, except for Kaori who just sipped her tea quietly as she listened in to their conversation.

"May I ask what the name of their clan is?" Kakashi dropped the bomb on them so suddenly, that he swore he saw them grimace all at the same time. After all, he still remembered how Naoko had introduced herself to him three months ago to him. She had omitted her family name, and just opted with telling him only her given name.

"It's the _Higanbana_ clan," Naoko quietly responded. Her voice dropping to a soft whisper that was still heard because of the sudden quietness of everyone present.

"You mean that mysterious clan with some special power that's living in isolation in the outskirts of the country?" Naoko nodded at her peer's question. Then, he continued rambling, "But, isn't that impossible? I mean _that_ clan was only a legend. So, they don't really exist, do they?" His eyebrows furrowed, not really believing what she was telling him.

"There's one sitting right beside you. What kind of proof do you need?" She shot back, smirking at him smugly and he turned to glare at her. Inori sighed and clapped his hands to get back their attention.

"Anyway Nao, do you think you could explain to us all about your clan?" Her chakra sensing instructor asked of her, which she responded with a reluctant shaking of her head. Inori frowned when she turned down his request.

"I can't say for now. It isn't the reason why we're all here, including Kakashi," she said, carefully taking a look at her fellow student who went quiet beside her, just staring at the table in front of him. Minato shifted on his seat uncomfortably at what she said.

He knew what his student and elder were talking about. Minato had heard from Inori as soon as he finished with the meeting with the Sandaime the other day. And he didn't know how precious student would react at something that was based on something as intangible as a dream. But it wasn't only a mere dream. It was a dream that Naoko had gotten. And seeing that her lineage was not something to be trifled with when it comes to that, was enough as some sort of basis or warning for all of them to keep on their toes.

Minato watched as Naoko shifted her body in order to face her peer, and he saw that Kakashi turned his head to look at her properly. She took a deep breath before she started speaking again.

"Kakashi, may I ask where uncle Sakumo is?" His eyebrows furrowed at the question but he responded, although he was utterly confused, "He went on a mission. He said it'll take about two weeks. Why?"

The look on Naoko's face sent alarm bells ringing inside Kakashi's head. She looked absolutely horrified upon hearing his reply. He knew enough about the legend of their clan to know what's going on. He knew that they had premonitions regarding the future through dreams, but he didn't want to believe it. Especially, when they were talking about their father. There was just something unsettling in the manner she had spoken about his only remaining family. It made his blood ran cold.

"I-Inori-sensei!" Naoko shot up from her seat, startling everyone. Her journal tumbling off from her lap. Her eyes were filled with tears that were about to spill, and she looked at Inori heart-brokenly that he couldn't bear looking at her for a moment longer.

"W-What's happening? What are you not telling me? What happened to dad?" Kakashi questioned the adults who suddenly went quiet, unlike earlier where they were still actively discussing anything and everything there is. Panic slowly took over the silver-haired boy's senses as he gripped the table so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

To his right, he could hear Naoko sobbing as she flopped back down on the cushion beside him. Her tiny hands covered her face, as she cried her heart out. And he knew that something terribly wrong was going on that they were trying so hard to keep from him.

Finally, it was Minato who broke the tensed silence _sans_ the fact that Naoko was still sobbing.

"Naoko had a dream," he swallowed his saliva. His throat momentarily closing up a little, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news to his precious, _precious_ student. "And in that dream, she saw you," Minato paused momentarily, closing his eyes before opening them again to reveal a pair of blue orbs that glinted darkly even in the morning light.

"She saw you, and you told us that your father—Sakumo-san—passed away," were the words Kakashi heard from his sensei.

Then, everything in his mind went _blank_.

* * *

 **[A/N]: Hey, Rui here! ＼（*´∇｀*）／ _*insert evil laughter*_**

 **I hope you liked the recent update, although I apologize if it's a little late. I've been quite busy with school works and worrying pointlessly. LOL.**

 **And it's Holy Week! I'll be out with my family to the northern part of the country—specifically, to Sagada, so I won't be able to update this week aside from this.**

 **And that's the reason why it's a bit longer than usual, even though there's a cliffhanger at the end. Hihi. But I really want to keep the suspense for a while, although some of you might die of heart or panic attack. Forgive me! （๑￫∀￩๑）**

 **Anyway, thank you for the continuous support and love you are giving this story!**

 **Rui loves you guys a lot!**

 **Until the next update~ ＼ （ ＠＾◇ ＾＠）／**


	10. Okamehachimoku: Unwarranted

**Rui here! *waves***

 **fluff penguin - Yeah, it isn't. But more details will be revealed later on. I really did not want for Naoko to have an ability that would be over-kill you know. That would be uninteresting, right?**

 **CrystalVixen93 - Aww, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy. ;)**

 **Dark Rose Charm - And that is why you have to look forward to the future chapters, my dear~**

 **Well then, so much for that. Here's the next chapter!**

* * *

A whole week had passed ever since the meeting about Naoko's dream. There was tension that could be felt around everyone involved, albeit it was often mistaken as awkwardness by the others.

As for Kakashi, he had not spoken to anyone after that, feeling immensely upset at the information that was divulged to him that day. He had only spoken unless it was necessary or if he was being specifically talked to that week. After all, he was still the student of Minato and a _genin—_ a low-ranking ninja that is still not recognized as a full-fledged one.

As for Naoko, _lifeless_ was one word that could be used to describe her. If she was heartbroken when she first saw that dream about Sakumo's passing, then now, she was devastated after delivering the news to her silver-haired peer. _His son_.

She did not know whether to go up to Kakashi to comfort him, or to tell him that it was only a dream and that he should not worry about it. Still, she figured that the best way to go for now was to keep quiet. The red-haired girl was still not sure regarding the details about Sakumo's death, after all. It would not do anyone good to make Kakashi worry needlessly any further.

Still, the guilt that swirled in her gut kept her awake at night. It was her fault that the situation they were in now had escalated. Her dream could be wrong for all she knew, and she just blabbed off immediately as soon as she had seen it. Because in the duration of that week after seeing that dream, Naoko had not seen a single one at night.

A dream that would unsparingly scare the wits out of her in the middle of her slumber.

And now, she felt odd.

Naoko actually hoped that she would dream again at night, but to no avail there had not been any at all—which sucked, if she was to be more honest. A sigh couldn't help but escape her lips as she kicked a stray pebble on the ground. She was in the training grounds where they usually, well, train of course. But Minato had cancelled the training at the last minute. _Again._ Something about how he had an emergency to attend to.

But Naoko had bet that it was a woman. She had seen her yellow-haired teacher strolling around with a familiar red-haired woman around the streets of Konoha lately, acting all chummy and lovey-dovey with her. However, she was too preoccupied with her own problems to actually care one whit that moment. She knew that she needed to get her vision out of her mind, if not her system. It's what her teachers—Inori and Minato—had been telling her to do all week.

But she just _can't._

The Higanbana heiress knew that in her mind, but of course. Nothing ever goes well for her.

A crunching sound snapped her from her reverie, and the ruby red-haired girl's head swiveled upwards to look in the direction of the sound. She found herself staring into those dark gray orbs. The sight of Kakashi looking so... _unkempt_ made her feel so bad about what she had done. She really wished she could take back what she had told the others. Still, his presence surprised her. He was probably not informed early on that their training with Minato had been cancelled at the last minute.

"Kakashi," Naoko began, her eyes never leaving the form of her peer. He stopped walking halfway through the training grounds, waiting for what she was going to say. The tension made her feel more uneasy than what she was already feeling.

This was the first time she was going to actually attempt to talk to Kakashi properly, without any interference from their elders. Just the two of them. And she wished she could just run back to the orphanage and hide under the safety of her blankets that smelled like fresh laundry.

"A-About the other time," she started, mentally slapping herself for stuttering. Naoko could feel his eyes boring holes on her head, as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. "I'm really sorry, but can you forget what I said? It's just... you know, it was just a dream I had and it isn't exactly reliable—" Naoko stopped mid-sentence when Kakashi's glare intensified.

Even with his mask covering half of his face like always, Naoko knew that he was frowning heavily underneath it and the thought just made her freeze. She lowered her head, not knowing what to say after she was cut off with just one look from him. She heard his footsteps getting closer, the dried leaves as well as the fresh grass getting crushed beneath his feet.

"If _you_ knew that what you were going to say was going to have a negative effect, then you should have just kept your big mouth shut," Kakashi snapped harshly, making Naoko flinch at the hostile tone that his voice had turned into.

"I-I just wanted to w-warn everyone and help," she managed to choke out, despite feeling a lump form in her throat. Her fists clenched tightly beside her, as she avoided his gaze that seemed to look into her very being right at that instant.

"Well, your help was unneeded if you aren't even sure that your _useless_ dreaming would actually come true," he spat, his venomous words making her heart sink even deeper into despair.

 _'But you don't even know if what I'm saying is actually real. You aren't even there when_ it _first_ _happened and how everything I feared came true,'_ Naoko bitterly thought, but opted not to argue with her peer anymore, in fear that she would just make his temper flare up more. Instead, she accepted the hate she was getting from him. After all, it seems like from this day onwards, the two of them would never get along no matter how hard she tried. It was impossible now that she thought about it. The two of them always ended up clashing with each other even from the very start.

"T-Then, thank you for letting me know that I'm unneeded and unwelcomed," Naoko spoke in a soft voice, her pale red orbs that were brimming with unshed tears met his dark gray orbs that were devoid of any emotions except anger.

"I knew it wasn't a good idea to stay in this village after all." She bitterly laughed, as she rushed past Kakashi who stood rooted at where he was standing.

* * *

Naoko wandered around the village aimlessly, feeling drained after her confrontation with Kakashi. It was already past lunch, and her stomach was growling already because of hunger but she paid no heed to it. Actually, she just had no appetite after everything that had transpired that day. And right at that moment, Naoko wished she could have joined her clansmen in their journey to the afterlife. She just felt so useless, so unwanted, and so _unloved_.

Pale, red orbs darted from one person to another, as the young girl watched them go their separate ways. She was currently sitting at the park—alone _and_ hungry. She hoped someone could accompany her or just simply talk to her. She wished someone could be there to make her forget even for a little bit. How she wished Rin and Obito were with her right now. But she didn't want to burden her friends with her problems. And she certainly did _not_ want seeing the usual smiles on their faces turn into worried expressions. They looked better smiling, after all. Something in their bright smiled always cheered her up.

"Are you alright?" A soft voice of a woman sounded in her ears, before Naoko could even see her. Her eyes that were looking down on the ground slowly trailed up to see a beautiful woman, probably a few years older than her and around the same age as Minato.

She had flowing red hair, that looked as if it was on fire if the sun had so much as reflected its rays on it. The woman also had a pair of purple orbs, that glistened with concern as she stared down at her small, gloomy figure sitting on the park's many benches. But what caught Naoko's attention the most was the familiarity she felt, upon seeing the said woman. Somehow, the child felt as if she had seen her before.

 _'Where was it? I knew I've seen her but I can't remember,'_ Naoko thought as she unconsciously pursed her lips, while trying to search for that certain memory in her head.

The sudden pressure that Naoko felt on her shoulders brought her back to reality. The face of the unknown, red-haired woman zoomed in, a few inches away from hers. Her purple eyes bored through hers, as if searching for her very soul.

"Are you alright? You're spacing out," the woman pointed out. Naoko listened to her voice closely and it was soft, yet firm.

Slowly, the Higanbana heiress nodded, before she was finally able to find her voice, "Yes, I'm fine."

A relieved sigh escaped the woman's lips. Then, she let go of her hold on Naoko's shoulders, as she stood up straight and stared down at her. A lopsided smile made its way on her lips, while Naoko glanced at her unsurely, wondering what in the world she was thinking.

"You don't seem like you're alright to me though."

Naoko's eyes widened slightly at her words and immediately avoided her eyes, mumbling under her breath, "What do you know about me anyway? It's the first time we've met."

Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, and obviously peeved at how easily she was seen through by a stranger.

"Well, it's not exactly the first time I've seen you around. I bumped into you a few weeks ago, I guess? Plus, I'm sure I've heard about you from Minato," the woman grinned childishly at Naoko, and the mention of her teacher made the latter's eyes widen all the more.

Was _this_ woman who she thought she was? Minato's girlfriend? The reason why their training was cancelled at the last minute, because her teacher was on a date with this woman? Not that she wasn't thankful for that or anything. In fact, she was, because Naoko wasn't exactly in the mood to be a punching bag lately.

"You're one of his students right? You're the only one I haven't met yet," said woman added, as she finally decided to sit down on the empty space beside Naoko on the bench.

"I'm Uzumaki Kushina, by the way." Kushina introduced, turning her body slightly so that she was facing the ruby red-haired girl beside her, whose brows were still furrowed.

"Uzumaki?" Naoko voiced out, slightly confused.

"Where have I heard that name before?" The girl muttered to herself, then looked at Kushina curiously.

Her pale, red orbs boring holes on her face, trying to rummage memories from her past. Then, realization dawned on her as she gaped at Kushina shamelessly.

"Wait, you're an Uzumaki too?!" The Higanbana heiress stood up from her seat, and accusatively pointing at her. This time, it was Kushina's turn to become confused.

 _'Too? Does she know anyone else who is an Uzumaki as well?'_ The older woman thought, her mind reeling at the information that was suddenly thrown at her face as if it was a stray kunai. There were _still_ others from her clan.

"Do you—"

"Nao!" Someone shouted from a distance, cutting Kushina off before she could further clarify what Naoko meant.

Two kids, around the same age as the child beside her, ran towards them. When they were near enough, she noticed that one was a boy dressed in a dark garb with the Uchiha crest, and the other was a girl with purple marks on her cheeks.

Kushina rose up from her seat, then looked at Naoko kindly. "We'll talk next time, Nao-chan. You better tell me more about the _other_ Uzumakis you have met, alright?"

Then, she left, leaving Naoko with conflicted thoughts swirling inside her pretty, little head.

"Hey, are you alright? Who was that woman with you? She's pretty!" Obito rambled with his obnoxiously loud voice that did not spare anyone's ears. Naoko flinched at the volume.

"No one. She just suddenly talked to me out of nowhere," she mumbled, not bothering to delve into the details.

Rin narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her red-haired friend, who looked more sullen than usual this week. Actually, she and Obito had noticed their friend's actions since the beginning of the week.

"You have no training today right? Since you're idling away over here," Obito grinned cheekily at Naoko, putting his hands behind his head as he swayed back and forth on the balls of his feet. She threw him a playful glare, which made Rin and him chuckle.

"How did you know that I was here anyway?" Naoko pursed her lips, as she slowly stood up on her feet. Then, she slung her arms over their shoulders and started walking, while dragging them to who knows where.

"We saw your blonde teacher loitering around town earlier with his girlfriend—wait, wasn't that woman his girlfriend you're talking to earlier?" Obito turned his head so fast that it startled both girls, and making Naoko drop her arm from his shoulder.

"Yeah. It's probably for the best. I don't think I'm up to training lately anyway." Naoko shrugged carelessly. Rin and Obito looked at her weirdly. After all, it was unusual for Naoko to be unmotivated like how she was being for the past few days. Most of the times, she would be the one to invite them to train, or she would spend time alone training by herself.

"Did something go wrong during your training?" Rin asked cautiously, which made Naoko tilt her head a little to look at her. The latter shook her head and smiled at her. The brunette girl decided to drop the subject for now, but Naoko knew that she was bound to be interrogated by her friend later when they return to the orphanage.

"So, what do you guys want to do now?" Obito asked, and as if on cue, Naoko's stomach rumbled which made the girl blush furiously out of embarrassment. The dark-haired boy and the brunette girl looked at their friend in mild surprise.

It _really_ was unusual for their friend who was always unruffled by anything turn into someone entirely different—at least, in their eyes. The two looked at each other, before throwing their heads backwards and laughing loudly. Naoko pouted, as she marched onward, leaving her two friends behind who were still laughing their heads off at her humiliation.

"Seems like we're going to Ichiraku for dinner," Obito said, as he smirked teasingly at Naoko and she immediately slapped his arm which made him whine in pain.

"You deserved that!" Naoko stuck her tongue out at him, while Rin giggled at their silliness.

She was glad that Naoko looked uplifted somewhat, even for just a while. After all, they were friends. And Rin believed that no matter what happens, they would always help each other carry the others' burdens.

* * *

That night, Naoko laid on her bed in the orphanage, looking at the upper bunk's bottom-side. She could hear Kakashi's words from earlier that day, still echoing in her head and it didn't seem like it was going away anytime soon. The guilt swirling in her gut was still there.

A petite arm went up to cover her eyes, as a deep sigh escaped past her lips. She sat up, despite knowing that it was already past her bedtime. It still did not deter her to sneak out the room and out the orphanage. It was dark outside. And as she took a step forward, a gentle breeze blew past her, making her shiver and wishing that she had brought something that could cover her up. She was just wearing her pajamas, which consisted of a shirt and track pants, after all.

Naoko looked up and saw the star-lit sky. There were a lot tonight, and the clouds slightly covered the moon, making the sky look darker than how it was supposed to be. She began walking, opening the gate which creaked slightly, and she hoped that Shinju was in deep sleep or else she would be the one in deep shit instead.

When there were no lights turning on or footsteps rushing out the orphanage, Naoko was able to breathe a sigh of relief. She observed the village which had majority of the stores closed including the many households, seeing as it was already past midnight as far as what she had gathered. Her pale, red orbs darted around nervously, when it sank into her how bad of an idea it was to sneak out. The leaves rustled as the wind blew, not helping her with dealing with the fear that was slowly creeping up in her system.

It felt as if any minute now, _something_ would pop out of nowhere and scare the shit out of her or someone could be out to get her. But Naoko decided to shrug it off, and continued to _kami_ -knows-where she was going. Before she knew it, she was already in front of Inori's home. The lights were turned off like what she had expected.

Still, she wanted to get rid of this guilt that kept on digging in her chest for the past week already. And she wanted to better explain herself—at least, to someone, for starters. But first she needed a certain information from her teacher. She was hoping that on the way to the Yamanaka compound, she would be able to miraculously bump into Minato or the person she was searching for. To no avail, luck was not on her side. _Like always_.

Naoko took a deep breath, and pushed the large, wooden gate open. Hopefully, no one would sneak up on her and suddenly slit her throat or take her into custody for going inside somebody else's house at an ungodly hour. She mentally crossed her fingers and hoped that everything goes according to her plan.

"Who's there?" The familiar voice of Inori sounded through the dark, silent night and startling the red-haired girl sneaking inside his abode.

"I-It's me, sensei," Naoko managed to say in a small voice, not knowing how her teacher would react to her sneaking outside at this time of day. Inori's eyebrows furrowed, trying to sense her familiar chakra before heaving a sigh of relief.

"Get inside," he gruffly said, as he waited for her by the veranda. Naoko sped-walked, closing the gate behind her as she got inside the safety of Inori's home. She rubbed her arms for warmth, and looked at Inori as if she was a kicked puppy. But the head of the Yamanaka clan was undeterred.

"What are you doing, going outside at this time?" Inori said with a harsh tone. Naoko looked down at her small feet, fiddling with her fingers and trying to gather her thoughts.

"Naoko," she heard him call out in a firm tone.

This was the first time that she found Inori frightening. Most of the times, he would be mild-mannered and soft-spoken. But tonight, she was reminded of the man who had interrogated her the first time she had set foot in Konoha. She could still see the hints of kindness on his countenance right now though, so it made her relax a little.

"I just wanted to know something, sensei. I won't be long," Naoko began, still continuing to fiddle with her fingers in an attempt to calm herself down.

Inori stared at the girl before him. He can't believe she just snuck out of the orphanage and went to his home by herself. Although, he already half-expected that from her. Still, the child had no sense of danger at all. It seemed as if she had already forgotten the fact that her family— _her whole clan—_ was finished off by an unknown force.

"What is it?" He finally asked, after a few moments of silence between them.

Inori pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself down, since he didn't want to scare off Naoko any further. It was obvious with the way her small hands trembled by her sides.

"Can you tell me where uncle Sakumo's house is?" She asked in a really soft voice, that if Inori—or anyone for that matter—did not strain their ears enough, they would not be able to hear her at all.

Naoko's request caught him off-guard, but he immediately composed himself as if she just did not ask him something outrageous. Outrageous because of the fact that it was the wee hours of the night, and it certainly would make you wonder as to what she was up to with that information at her disposal.

"And what are you going to do after knowing where Sakumo-kun's address?" Inori inquired, his interest piqued.

After all, with Sakumo gone on a mission, there was only Kakashi in that house. _Alone_. And he certainly did not trust two children their age, despite knowing how to protect themselves from common thugs on the street.

Hatake Sakumo was notorious to neighboring villages' ninjas. Hence, there is always a possibility that his home could be raided in one way or another, despite having sealing jutsu and traps scattered there as some sort of security.

When Naoko just stared at hin determinedly though, he could see his resolve not to tell her, crumbling right in front of his very face. Naoko had perfected the puppy-dog eyes look at an early age. Getting to an old age where he felt fond of children as young as her did not help his case at all, as well. Inori silently cursed the _kamis_ in the heavens for granting Naoko that ability. The child already knew how to get her way!

He could only sigh in defeat, as he magically produced a parchment as well as a brush and ink out of thin air. On that paper, he scribbled down the address of the Hatake family of two.

"Thank you, sensei," Naoko nodded her head, smiling gratefully up at him as she took the paper from his hand.

When she was about to leave, Inori quickly added, "Tell me if it went well, alright?"

Naoko gave him a lopsided grin, which told him that he wouldn't really get the info without putting up a fight with her. Though, he knew that she would still tell him, albeit reluctantly.

After all, Naoko knew that he already had an inkling that she was headed to Sakumo's home to talk things out with his son. It was pretty obvious to him with the way Naoko had been acting all week long, that something had been weighing her down.

The _guilt_ of something that did not even happen yet or had the possibility of not happening at all had been weighing her down.

And in his honest opinion, it was too much of a heavy burden for a child as young as her.

Naoko took a deep breath, as she stood in front of a medium-sized, traditional home. It was the address that Inori-sensei had written down for her. She quickly glanced at the nameplate once more to check that she did not get the wrong house. It would be pretty embarrassing, as well as troublesome to deal with the aftermath of her blunder. If ever that happens, of course.

She pushed past the wooden gates, which was similar to her light-haired teacher's house but definitely smaller in size. Her ears picked up on the leaves rustling in the bushes, but paid no mind to it. She was a girl on a mission right now, and nothing would stop her until she was able to properly talk things out with Kakashi.

She slowly raised a hand and knocked against the door. Naoko felt her small frame shaking once more, just like earlier. She could feel something dying inside of her out of nervousness, as a million thoughts invaded her mind like plague.

What if Kakashi knew that she was here? Would he open the door? What if Kakashi did not open the door? Does she have to endure another week of being told that she had done something unnecessary? That she was useless? That she was unneeded? Or for lack of a better word, unwanted?

Those thoughts continuously repeated itselves like some sort of mantra. And Naoko swore that it did not make her calm down one bit. It just made her feel like she was dying of anxiety. She rapped against the door, this time more than three knocks until it swung open. Her tiny fist was about to go down against it again, when the figure of Kakashi standing before her made her actions halt immediately.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi said, his harsh tone cutting through the silence of the night. It was evident that he did not appreciate being awakened in the middle of the night, by his unfavorite person in the world right now.

Naoko pursed her lips, collecting her thoughts in order to form coherent sentences in a way that would make her peer listen to her and not suddenly go ballistic on her. After taking a deep breath, Naoko was ready for war—only _figuratively,_ of course. She would probably end up as a welcome mat if she were to go head-to-head with Kakashi when he was serious like right now.

"If you have nothing to say, then go home already or else," he quietly said, but there was an underlying threatening tone at the end of his sentence. Naoko involuntarily shivered at his warning. He _was_ serious. Of course, what else should she have expected?

"Can you let me in first? It's damn freezing out here," she lamely said as she rubbed her arms for warmth.

A sigh escaped his lips, as he opened the door wider to let her in. Her eyes traveled to the silver-haired boy's face momentarily, taking note that he still did not remove his face mask even when he was sleeping. It made her feel slightly comforted with that thought, knowing that she was in a grave situation right now. It was now or never with him after all.

Kakashi closed the door behind him, as she waited by the hallway leading to the living room that she was able to discern despite the household lacking any form of light, except for the moonlight that seeped through the windows and through the curtains. Her peer went to the direction of the living room and she straightaway followed. Their small feet padding across the hardwood floors of the Hatake household.

Naoko stood across him awkwardly as he sat down on the cushion in front of the low table, after he turned on the lights in the living room. Kakashi stared at her weirdly—at least, his eyes were telling her so. She unceremoniously plopped down on the unoccupied cushion, and she could hear him snort. Naoko stared at him incredulously, as if he had done something unbelievable. _The_ ever so cool and stoic Hatake Kakashi just snorted. Now, that was unbelievable in her book.

"What?" He harshly demanded, evading her gaze. The red-haired girl couldn't help but relax because of that, and a smile threatened to make its way on her lips. When Kakashi was able to look at her again, she wiped the goofy expression on her face instantly to avoid being reprimanded by him.

"Nothing. I don't think I'll be able to let you live down the fact that you just snorted," she teased, chuckling softly and she saw his ears reddening as he threw a nasty glare her way.

"Shut it!" She just stuck her tongue out at him childishly

Then, the two of them settled with a few moments silence between them. Their expressions morphing into one of seriousness, unbefitting of children their age. But with the both of them knowing the subject of conversation, the atmosphere suited it just fine.

"So, what do you want at this hour?"

Naoko shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Well, she might as well face this head-on. No pain, no gain right? Hopefully, she will be able to get her message across to him properly.

"About the dream I had—"

Kakashi's eyes immediately glinted dangerously, making her halt midway. Naoko ruffled her hair out of frustration. How she wished it was easy to tell him everything she knew of. The ones her parents had told of her at least. About her clan. About their ability. About her. About _her_ capability to be the _cause_ of an impending havoc.

Naoko still remember clearly how her mother had told her everything she knew. Her father would also chip in his two cents about it, filling in the parts that her mother had missed or the ones she had not known about until that time. It was as if they _knew_. _They_ knew that everything would end up like this. Her, all alone. The _sole_ survivor of the Higanbana Clan.

Before she could be dragged any further by the deepest parts of her memories, Naoko remembered that she had more pressing matters to attend to. And that was to talk to her silver-haired peer who was making it so hard for her to talk to him properly, without any unwanted interruptions.

"Kakashi, please. Can you not cut me off before I even finish my sentence? This is getting frustrating enough as it is," the Higanbana girl said, or more like pleaded. The boy before her did not respond but the silence was cue for her to continue her spiel.

"Before I tell you if my dream about uncle Sakumo is true or not, let me tell you about... _my_ clan first. The Higanbana clan," Naoko continued despite Kakashi glaring holes on her head at the mention of his father's name.

She looked down, fiddling with her fingers. A habit that she had gotten after moving to Konoha. It was a sign of nervousness, anxiety, and uncertainty for her.

"You know the gist of what happened to my clan right?" Kakashi nodded slowly, not knowing what Naoko was trying to get at. But he decided to listen attentively, because with the way she was acting and shaking like a leaf before him, it was also a hard topic for her to talk about.

After all, he knew that her clan had been wiped out a few months prior the day she had arrived in Konoha. But he didn't know why, how and _by whom_.

"My clan was murdered if you did not know yet, but I beg to differ." His eyes widened at the revelation. He was about to open his mouth to ask who it was that did so, but Naoko shook her head, telling him that she had no idea either.

"I don't know by whose order it was. I did not have a chance to know because before I knew it, I was running away already after being told to do so by my parents. The last I've seen of them was them going to the direction of the perpetrators, if I guessed right. They told me that there is a nearby village a few miles away from ours, that would definitely keep me safe after knowing my lineage." The red-haired clan heiress took a shaky breath.

Her eyes watered at the thought of her parents dying to protect her and their clan. She hastily rubbed her eyes before the tears could even drip down her cheeks.

"But before that, probably a few months to a year prior—as soon as I turned five, my parents and clan elders have been educating me all about my heritage even if I was being a rebellious kid. I still am until now though," she let out a hollow chuckle before continuing her story.

"They told me that I could have the world in my hands, if I wanted to. They were not clear about that, but I knew that it wasn't possible at all. Just... they told me that having the power of being able to see into the future—no matter how little into the future it is—I will still be a target. A _trophy,_ if I may quote my father's words. There was always a threat of one of our clan members being threatened to become a pawn for someone who had power and could wipe us out instantly, in order to have the ability of foresight in their hands. So, according to the history lessons I've gotten, my clan had secluded themselves into the outskirts of the Fire Country ever since the first Hokage died. He was the only person that our clan had trusted ever since, despite still having connections to the succeeding and current Hokage."

Naoko paused momentarily, letting the flood of information to sink into Kakashi's mind. It was obvious that he was reeling in the information disclosed to him, in order to be able to understand where she was coming from and to better understand her as well. It was difficult for her to lay bare everything she had been keeping ever since the tragedy that befell her clan. When she felt that it was alright to continue again, the red-haired girl did.

"Starting from here though, the things that I will tell you, swear that you won't tell anyone, Kakashi-kun. _Please,_ " Naoko pleaded, her pale, red orbs glinting ominously and worriedly.

"There are things that are better left unsaid. Because if anyone finds out—especially the ones who are after the remainder of my clan, or me for that matter—that you knew something about the Higanbana clan and the mechanism of our abilities, _you_ will surely be targeted as well."

The silver-haired boy stared back at Naoko, his eyes glistening with an incomprehensible light that she did not recognize. But he agreed, responding quietly with an ' _alright_ _'_. Naoko tucked a stray strand of red hair behind her ears.

"I hope I could trust you with this, Kakashi-kun. Because I'd definitely die of guilt if anything happens to you. I've had enough of people who are dear to me suddenly dying and leaving me alone to fend for myself after all," Naoko smiled lopsidedly, but the way her eyes shone sadly in the light told Kakashi that her words were sincere.

"Let's start from the beginning then," were the only words Naoko had said as she resumed.

* * *

 **[A/N]: Yo, Rui here! *wink wink***

 **A long chapter for you guys, that ended in a cliffhanger. Hihi. I'm so sorry! But after this chapter, it will be all about Naoko's past... _I think_. I may or may not reveal it. Plus, there is still what could happen to Sakumo. Suspense, right? I know, I know. *grins evilly* ヽ(￣▼￣*)ノ**

 **As for the arc title, I kind took a liking to it. It has a nice ring to it and the meaning is cool as well. LOL. 岡目八目 _(okamehachimoku)_ \- a bystander's vantage point. If I relate it to the readers as well as myself, it would be like we are the bystanders right? S'kind of like we're overseeing the progress or the story as a whole.**

 **On that note, I hope you guys liked the recent chapter/bomb that I dropped, as well as the historical information about Nao's clan. It's far from the entirety of it yet. There are still tiny details I haven't included yet. （●￫‿ฺ￩●）**

 **And so, I'm hoping you guys would continue to give support and lots of love to this story! Thank you so much. *hugs all of you***

 **Lots of love! （＞ω・)ノ**


	11. Extra: Their Story

**_Around Eight_ _Years Ago_**

"Are you out of your mind?! Why did you bring an outsider in our village? You knew how we had to go into hiding because of the warmongers who wanted our kin!" An old man clad in black robs, with blood-red and golden trimmings yelled. He was obviously fuming with the way his blood accumulated on his face, making it redder by the minute.

The man before him—a man who was average in height with auburn hair and a pair of striking red eyes—visibly flinched at the loud volume that the older man's voice had reached. By this time, the two of them were surrounded by people with uncanny resemblance to him, especially with the hair and eyes. Only, they were a shade lighter or darker.

"I can't believe you, of all people, would be doing this!" The older man continued ranting. He took a shaky breath when he paused before looking at the younger man who stood resolutely on his spot.

"You of all people should know. You are the next in line as clan head, _Naohiko_."

Naohiko's eyes seemed to burn as he stared back at his clan elder. And he could feel somebody clutching onto his garments, as if seeking for comfort. He knew what he should have done for the sake of his clan's safety. But he was not a cruel enough person to leave someone behind who was seeking help.

"I hope you wouldn't regret your decision. As for the woman, she can stay but she has to prove her worth first in order to be granted asylum here. Even then, I gather that she will not be able to find her place and be accepted here." With those words lingering in the air, the man turned on his feet and walked to the small hut that made out of sturdy wood.

"Yes, _father,_ " was the only response that Naohiko was able to come up with before he turned to the person he had saved.

The woman had fiery red hair. A trait that she shared amongst her famous clansmen as well, before her clan had met its demise. She had bright, golden eyes that flashed with fear, as she held onto his shirt tightly. Her hands trembled and Naohiko felt sorry for her.

"I-I'm sorry! If I had known that your father and your clan would be against this, I would have had asked for help from other people instead," the woman said in a soft, apologetic voice.

Naohiko smiled reassuringly at her, as he shook his head, "You don't have to apologize. It was my choice, and I had known that you were in trouble even before so I decided to help you."

At his statement, the woman became confused as her grip on his clothing went slack. Naohiko took this chance to turn himself around in order to fully face her. His expression softening at the sight of the woman. Beautiful was understatement to describe the ephemereal beauty that she possessed. Her beauty was incomparable to those of the women in his clan and it just enchanted him.

"I believe it that my decision to save you was right, and I know that you are a strong woman to be able to gain your place in my clan," he said in a vague manner that if other people would be able to hear what he said, they would only think that he was encouraging her.

"I will do my best then," the woman said, a small smile finally gracing her lips. But the act was enough to relieve him, and become more taken by her.

"Naohiko-sama," a boy around the age of five called out softly as he stood in front of the said man with a bashful expression.

"What is it, Ryou-kun?" Naohiko bent down on one knee as he spoke to the rusty-haired boy, who looked at him with big, dark eyes with hints of red in his irises.

"I-Is Nobuhiko-sama going to send you away, Naohiko-sama?" The boy asked, his eyes glinting with concern. Naohiko threw his head back, and laughed loudly before he shook his head.

"No, don't worry. I'm still the next-in-line as clan head, Ryou-kun," the older man replied, amusement dancing in his striking red eyes. The younger boy sighed in relief, before grinning widely at him. Then, he ran off to play with his peers.

Naohiko's mind wandered to the sweet boy. Ryou was the child of his clansmen. Said boy's father was his close friend who died during his travel to Iwagakure, when bandits attacked the merchant caravan of their clan. It was still fresh in his mind, how a lot of his people had died during that time. After all, it had only been three years since then.

A tug on his shirt brought him back to reality, as he saw the woman he had saved looking at him with mild concern. Little did he know that his expression turned grim, which alerted the woman immediately.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about something that happened to my clan in the past," Naohiko mumbled, as he sheepishly scratched his nape.

"It's fine. Anyway, as much as I don't want to be a nuisance to the rest of your clan, I really have nowhere to go anymore so-" She was cut off mid-way when Naohiko sternly looked at her, and placed a finger on her lips.

"It's fine, _Hitomi_ -san. I assure you that the clan will be able to accept your presence sooner or later," he smiled reassuringly, as he turned around and motioned her to follow him.

He led her in front of a small hut, beside a large and wide one. It was modest but definitely clean and looked as if it was newly built. Hitomi eyes widened as she stared at the towering male beside her, who looked smug. It amused her how the man seemed so serious earlier, but he was actually hiding a childish persona underneath it.

"This is going to be your new home. I will be asking Ryou-kun's mother, Mirai-chan, to help you settle in as well as get you oriented to the clan's laws and rules-whatever you want to call it," Naohiko chuckled as he gently put a hand on her head, and patted it. Hitomi grabbed his hand to make him stop, as she looked him in annoyance.

"Many thanks for that, Naohiko- _sama_ , but I would appreciate it if you stop treating me as if I am a child. I am already a grown woman, as you can see. Thus, I have no need with you invading my personal space," Hitomi quipped. Her tone held a hint of irritation to it, but her expression was as calm as the water during the summer season.

Naohiko's eyes traveled from her head to toe, as if he was comparing her physical appearance to the statement she had just made earlier. This time, it earned him a glare from the woman before him. He just dismissed the prickly sensation that her glare was giving him, and sneakily smiled at her.

"I can see where you're coming from. You're definitely a grown woman. You'd be my type if it wasn't for your feisty attitude, though." Naohiko said in a playful manner, which made Hitomi furrow her eyebrows in distaste at his insulting comment.

"My sentiments exactly," she replied sarcastically as she stomped off to the hut that was going to be her new home from now on. Probably for a long time-or maybe, until she passed on to the next world.

Naohiko stared after her retreating figure with a gentle expression on his countenance, and flinched at the sound that the wooden door of Hitomi's new home had made after she slammed it shut behind her. He conjured up a chuckle at the woman's amusing reaction to his treatment towards her. After all, he was totally lying when he said that she was not her type. In fact, it was the opposite of it. The type of women she disliked or often ignored are the ones who are too obedient for their own good.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder how she will be able to adapt to the lifestyle in his clan. After all, Hitomi was an outsider who had no knowledge of what his clan is capable of.

* * *

To say that Hitomi fitted in well was an understatement. Almost a month had passed and the said woman was already getting along with a group of women, may it be the elderly or the ones who are of the same age group as her. And upon seeing that, Naohiko couldn't help but be relieved. He had expected more backlash from his clansmen for bringing home an outsider.

"Are you relieved, Naohiko-sama?" Mirai, one of the closest friends that Hitomi had made and the first of his clansmen that he had introduced to her, asked. A smile played on her lips as she also stared at the scene before them.

"To be honest, yes. Although, I kind of expected it." With those words, Mirai looked at him with confusion. Naohiko cleared his throat, before he explained further.

"Well, Hitomi is a strong girl. The way she held herself together despite being chased by... dangerous people when I first met her, it astonished me. Normally, girls would be panicking too much already." His eyes and tone of voice held fondness in them, and it made Mirai smile widely at him.

It was obvious that their clan heir liked Hitomi, but was still oblivious to his growing feelings for the said woman. She figured that it would be in their best interests if the two of them figured it out by themselves. Mirai silently stepped back, as she left Naohiko alone to watch Hitomi from afar as she interacted with the rest of their clan members.

* * *

"What is the meaning of this Naohiko?!" The same elder and his father, Nobuhiko, shouted in disbelief. He couldn't believe that his son would do this to _him._ To _their_ clan.

Only a year had passed since he had passed the duties of being clan head to his son, and then this! This blasted woman who had no any Higanbana blood in her bore a child. And it was Naohiko, no less!

The couple was sitting in front of him in _seiza,_ and to be honest, he would have ordered for their banishment instantly if it wasn't for the fact that Naohiko was the clan head now. Nobuhiko pinched the bridge of his nose, as he slowly felt the beginnings of a migraine.

"I'm sorry, Nobuhiko-sama, but please let me keep the child! It is going to be your grandchild, after all." He heard Hitomi explain in a desperate voice. The woman had proved herself for the past years. She had done a lot for the clan, from helping with the management of expenses and business to helping with the security and curing illnesses of their clansmen. But the fact that she was not of Higanbana heritage still remains. It would do no good if the heir of their clan was not pure-blooded. It coud be a cause of uprising from the other clansmen.

To say the least, Nobuhiko was conflicted. He knew that Hitomi was a good woman. _Too good_ , in fact. She was bold with a good head on her shoulders, beautiful, and definitely someone who was competent enough to become the wife of the clan head, as well as the support of the clan. The only thing getting in the way is her lineage—or being from a different one, thereof.

"Only the two of you could be held accountable of your decisions," Nobuhiko finally said, as he heaved a sigh afterwards. His son and soon-to-be wife's expressions brightened up immediately, but he raised a hand which made them halt from their celebration.

"The two of you would surely face a lot of obstacles, especially the disagreements from our clansmen. However, know that you have to stand strong despite the odds." The elderly said, as he clasped his hands together and stared at his son.

"Naohiko," he looked at him seriously, and the said man straightened up on his seat. "Know that you are already the clan head, so you have to be aware where the best interest of our clan lies. As for Hitomi," Nobuhiko looked at the said woman, who met his eyes with her intense-colored ones. He internally nodded approvingly at his soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

"Become Naohiko's support. You are not only the mother of your child now. But also, the mother of everyone in the clan. I _truly_ believe that if it is you, you will be able to achieve great things. Despite being harsh to you most of the times, I know that you are a bright and strong girl, who deserves a better life." The woman's golden eyes grew misty at the older man's words. She had been so grateful to him and Naohiko for letting her stay with their clan, despite the negative effect that it could have on their reputations.

And she always knew that despite Nobuhiko-sama's seemingly unreasonable requests and harsh words, he was a naturally caring person who had the best interests of everyone in his clan. To be accepted and become a part of their clan now, was such a huge honor as well as something to be really proud of.

"Thank you, Nobuhiko-sama," Hitomi managed to say, as she held back the tears that were threatening to fall. She bowed her head deeply to him, making sure that he knew how grateful she was of him.

* * *

"I cannot believe that you had let Naohiko marry that outsider, Nobuhiko-sama!" A young man dressed in black robes with red trimmings cried out indignantly. He was about in his late thirties, with dark red hair and a pair of wine red orbs. And it glinted with hostility that the older Higanban was not pleased to notice.

"Settle down, Musashi-dono." Nobuhiko said in a dismissive manner as he quietly sipped his tea.

He was already expecting this kind of outburst from somebody within his clan, after all. It was only a matter of time. And now that the quarterly council meeting had begun, someone would surely speak up regarding the recent happenings within their clan.

"If only you had not accepted that blasted woman—" Musashi stopped halfway when Nobuhiko had set his teacup on the table rather loudly.

It made the other members of their clan's council to train their eyes on their previous clan head. They, too, cannot believe his decision. However, they were more accepting of it than the man who had been the one to flare up at the news first.

"Musashi-dono, the main family had always married for love, didn't you know? Hence, I do not want to force my son nor my grandchild to those old-fashioned arranged marriages. Even _I_ married for love," Nobuhiko said, as he recalled his memories with his now-deceased wife. Musashi finally calmed down, despite still feeling infuriated that an outsider had tainted the noble blood of their clan head's family.

"Hitomi-san seems to be quite adept when it comes to handling the clan's matters," Akino, a woman in her late forties, commented as she took a sip of her tea. Her eyes then landed on Nobuhiko who did the same.

"Yes, she is. Actually, I am quite fond of her now. After all, she was able to prove herself to me as well as to the whole clan," the elderly man said, a small smile playing across his lips. The other members of the council who were present were pleasantly surprised at the action.

It was rare for them to see their former clan head smiling. It was after his wife's death that his smile had been seen less and less. Especially so, when Naohiko became more _outspoken_ towards his father, which made the latter become adamant to adhering to the rules of the clan.

"It seems she was able to not only gain your approval but your affection as well, Nobuhiko-sama."

This time, Hirano spoke up. He was a man of average stature, with burgundy hair, styled in a crew cut. He was also sporting a trimmed beard. And his glimmering eyes were a beautiful shade of red—garnet red, in fact.

"Well, she is bearing my grandchild after all. It's high time that I slowly enjoy the time I have left. I can't wait until the baby is born," Nobuhiko chuckled as his eyes trailed to one council member to another.

"Thus, I am hoping for everyone in the council to support Naohiko and Hitomi. They are, after all, with heir already." Then, he pointedly looked at Musashi whose nose and ears seemed to emit smoke.

The man was still wet behind the ears, even after a few years had passed since he was nominated as a member of their clan's council. Nobuhiko had observed since the beginning, that Musashi was always the pessimistic ones when it comes to certain decision regarding their relationships outside of the clan. Nobuhiko just hoped that Naohiko would not easily be deterred by this... _abomination_ of a man.

* * *

"Aww, isn't she cute?" Mirai cooed, as she held out a finger to the being that was bundled in a pure white blanket. A tiny hand shot out and held onto it tightly.

"She is, isn't she?" Hitomi smiled as she looked down at her newfound joy in life. She was glad that her child had been born safely, and without any complications. Though, she was sure that it wouldn't make her love her baby girl any less.

" _Naoko_ -chan, say hello to your auntie Mirai," she said in a soft voice as she rocked the child bundled in the blanket back and forth.

Naohiko, on the other hand, sat on her left side on the bed. He was still stumped at the fact that he was now a father. He looked down at his child—his precious, _precious_ daughter. He cannot believe how almost a year had quickly passed by. And seeing his daughter upclose just made his heart melt.

Slowly, her eyes opened, revealing a pair of pale, red orbs. Tiny hands reached out and Naohiko couldn't help but let his index finger be enclosed in his daughter's fingers. The action made Hitomi smile lovingly at her husband and daughter.

"You should hold her too, Naohiko-san," Hitomi suggested and handed their daughter to him.

Naohiko's eyes widened in fear at the thought of holding the small bundle of joy in his arms. He was afraid that he will suddenly drop her. But slowly, he let his wife settle their child in the security of his arms. His heart just warmed at the fact that he was holding their child now.

This little girl who would grow up quickly, and will leave the nest someday. He couldn't help but tear up because of his thoughts about the future. And upon hearing him sniffle, Hitomi chuckled light-heartedly at his silliness.

"You know that she won't grow up too quickly right? I'm sure it'll be a long journey for us as parents." Hitomi said reassuringly, smiling widely at Naohiko before staring lovingly at their daughter covered in white blanket.

"You're right," Naohiko agreed, as he planted a light kiss on little Naoko's forehead and continued to cradle her in his arms.

 _Yet_ , how wrong the both of them were.

Not more than five years later when their small, hidden village was suddenly engulfed in huge, hot flames that indiscriminately burned down anything and everything in its way. Hitomi ran out of their humble home, tugging gently at the hand of the now four-year old Naoko. The little girl looked on at the catastrophe before them that consisted of burning houses, fighting and villagers running and screaming like chickens that had their heads cut off.

"Mother, where are we going?" Naoko shouted amidst the chaos.

Hitomi barely glanced at the little version her and Naohiko as she proceeded to find her husband within the burning premises of the village. He had not returned home yet before the village was under attack and she just hoped that he had not met such a fate that would leave both her and their child brokenhearted.

"We're going to find your father, Nao-chan," she said, loud enough for her child to hear. Naoko just kept silent as she followed behind her mother obediently when a masked figure jumped down from a tree, preventing them from continuing their search.

Instantly, Hitomi was on alert and stepped in front of Naoko protectively. She could not afford to put Naoko's life at risk. No matter what, she would protect her. Protect _her daughter._ Protect _their child_. Even at the cost of her own life.

"Hitomi!" The familiar voice of Naohiko that the both her and Naoko loved so much resounded despite the mayhem happening in every nook and cranny of their village. He pulled out a katana from its sheath that was strapped at the side of his waist and was met with the clashing of metal.

"Who are you?" Naohiko narrowed his eyes at the dangerous intruder who had his whole body from head to toe covered in black clothing. A _hitai-ate_ was also tied loosely around his neck, but due to the darkness—excluding the surrounding area that was still burning—the Higanbana clan's patriarch was not able to see clearly which hidden village the ninja was from.

"I don't think you will be able to do anything with that information at your disposal," the mysterious ninja replied in his low, gruff voice as he quickly pulled out a kunai from one of his weapon holsters strapped around his thigh and tried to slash Naohiko who barely avoided it.

"Hitomi, take Naoko away from here!" Naohiko barked, as he tried to evade from another deadly attack that the unidentified shinobi. Hitomi bit her lip in apprehension, not wanting to leave her husband behind when it was so dangerous right now.

Although she knew that he was a skilled swordsman _(he did save her from attackers years ago, after all)_ , but to fight against a shinobi who had more skills in disposal is simply suicidal. But Hitomi did not want to have Naoko to be in the midst of the crossfire as well.

"No, father! Please don't make us go away!" Naoko cried out, her tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched her father fight the bad person before them. She clutched onto her mother's clothes tightly.

"Quickly!" The booming voice of Naohiko made Hitomi snap out from her thoughts, and when she saw that he was on even footing with the unknown ninja, shewas reassured enough to leave him for a moment to make sure that their child was hidden away safely.

Hitomi carried little Naoko in her arms while the latter protested. They went to an empty clearing after Hitomi made sure that there were no hostile presences around. She set down her daughter by the bushes that could completely cover her tiny body as she gave her a small backpack.

"Nao-chan, can you call me the way you used to?" She asked, smiling gently down at the child before her. Naoko looked up at her mother with tear-stained face, eyes filled with confusion and fear.

Somehow, her young mind was able to understand the fact that there was something wrong going on and that she would be forced to follow someone again. But this time, it was not training or lesson on how to become a proper heiress of the clan. Instead, it was for her own survival. For her to continue _living_.

"Mama," Naoko called out using her small voice. Tears dripping quickly dripped down her round, pinkish cheeks. Hitomi was proud and glad to have her as her daughter, although five years were too short for them to be with their growing child. At that realization though, her own tears started slipping down her face as well.

"I'm _so_ sorry, Nao. I wish we could be with you until you grow much older or until your father and I are on our deathbeds," Hitomi said as she wrapped her arms securely around Naoko who was now sobbing loudly, while calling out to her and Naohiko.

"I'm sorry, Nao, for not being able to see you grow up. Your father and I are sorry for putting you through this. We're really proud of you for being the heiress of the clan and our daughter. We love you so, _so_ much." Hitomi squeezed Naoko one last time, before letting her go.

The red-haired child just looked on in horror as she was left behind to stare at her mother's retreating figure which was headed to the direction they came from earlier. She wiped her tears away—coughing, sobbing and sniffing.

"Mama, please listen!" Hitomi halted in between her steps, and turned around one last time at Naoko before rejoining with Naohiko. Her eyes were silently probing Naoko, who hiccuped as she tried to form words but it came out as incoherent blubbering.

"You can do it, Nao," she urged quietly, and Naoko finally managed to get her emotions under control. Words by her instructors and teachers were ringing inside her head at that moment, as she recalled them.

 _As the clan's heiress, you should be able to properly get your emotions under control or else an enemy could take advantage of it—may it be during negotiations or a fight._

 _You should not let your emotions rule over you, Naoko-sama. As the future head of the clan, you should be able to decide wisely without letting your emotions get in the way._

 _Please always remember these words._

"Mama, I love you too. Please tell papa as well. And make sure to come back and get me so we could all be together again," Naoko pleaded, although her voice became smaller by the end of her sentence when she noticed how her mother nodded her head, while smiling sadly.

"Of course, dear." Hitomi said, as she turned around and ran without looking back even once.

And that was the last time that Naoko had ever seen at least one of her parents.

The next thing she knew, she woke up the next day in the bushes where her mother had left her and she searched her whole village for what was left of it.

There was _nothing._

* * *

 **[A/N]: *whispers* Rui's back!**

 **And since I have reached ten chapters already for this story, an extra chapter for you guys! This is still canon, of course. Just that, it was before Naoko was born and of course, after she was born as well. *wink wink***

 **I hope it was alright! Also, I'm so sorry for not updating as often as I did last month—errr... _months,_ I guess? But anyway, it's summer vacation for me already. I am interning at a company right now, since it's going to be my senior year in university this coming August. (/□＼*)**

~o~o~o~o~

 **LPWomer - That—I cannot guarantee. Do look forward to the main storyline though! *winks***

 **Dark Rose Charm - Here's a part of the Nao's past~ But the story she told Kakashi will be on another update... hopefully. ;)**

 **Magic-tracy - Awww, thank you! Please look forward to the next chapters!**

~o~o~o~o~

 **On another note, thank you for waiting for me to update! I hope you guys are still excited for this story. Thank you so much for all the love and support!**

 **You guys are the _best_! ヾ(＠゜▽゜＠）ノ**


	12. Okamehachimoku: Pure

The door of the Hatake household slid open. Darkness greeted the dirty and tired Sakumo as he stepped inside his family's abode. His eyes scanned the vicinity for anything that might seem out of place. When he deemed it safe, he breathed out a sigh of relief but immediately tensed up at the unfamiliar chakra lingering inside his house along with his son's.

 _'Did something happen to Kakashi?'_ He thought to himself as he continued looking around his home.

No, it seemed unlikely especially since Sakumo had installed several traps around the perimeter of his house which could detect hostile intentions. Also, he felt Kakashi's chakra to be relaxed enough at the moment which made him even more confused. His son rarely brought guests home.

His brows furrowed and his dark, gray eyes turned steely as he silently padded to the direction of the living room, where the unknown presence was in. His expression instantly softened and relaxed at the sight before him.

Honestly though, it was bad for Sakumo's heart and senses to be tested like that as soon as he got home. If he were the type of ninja who became agitated at the sign of any unfamiliarity within his own home, he probably would have done something too drastic that he would not be able to take back. Still, it was a surprise to see his son and his new-found friend cuddling comfortably in their living room.

A smile couldn't help but grace his lips as he took in the sight of Naoko and Kakashi sleeping. Their faces looked gentle and soft and... _squishy,_ that Sakumo couldn't help but gush over the two children internally. He immediately snapped out of his trance when he saw Naoko involuntarily shiver and huddle closer to Kakashi, while the latter scrunched his eyebrows before it loosened up again.

Sakumo headed inside his room to get the two of them a larger blanket, and spread it over them both as he watched the children sleep for a while longer. What a great way to relieve him from the stress of his latest mission. It had been too hectic for his taste and it was quite a close call as well, especially since his team had been greeted with an ambush by missing- _nins_ when they were about to travel back to Konoha.

A sigh escaped his lips as he noticed a little too late that his son still kept the lower half of his face covered despite sleeping. He wondered how Kakashi could breathe and sleep properly with it covering his nose. Sakumo bent down a little to remove the cloth covering his face. He knew that his son would probably throw a hissy fit if he found out that he had removed his mask. But he will cross that bridge later.

His eyes, then, shifted to Naoko who had a tear-stricken face that instantly caught his attention and tugged at his heart-strings. He had heard about her story from Minato and Inori a day after he had formally met the girl. And he knew that there was more to the girl's situation than what they were letting on. It was obvious with the way Naoko carries herself in front of other people, especially to those whom she was not familiar with.

Her eyes would turn rather cold and full of suspicion, but would instantly hide it behind sarcasm or well-timed jokes. And Sakumo wondered how the girl had led her life before her clan's massacre. She was probably a sweet, _sweet_ girl then, although that personality of hers would resurface if the only people present were those whom she trusts. Sakumo was able to get a glimpse of that sweet girl when he had fetched Kakashi from his training the first time he saw her there.

Sakumo wanted her to feel what it's like to be able to trust someone again and for her to feel loved—no more, no less than the other kids who still had their parents or family, for that matter. And with that, he made a decision of trying to get Naoko to open up to him and make her feel at home in Konoha.

"What are you looking at, dad?" He heard the faint voice of Kakashi that made Sakumo smile lopsidedly at his son. His eyes glinted mischievously against the sunlight that streamed in through the curtains, as he watched him sit up from his lying position.

"It's nothing. I was just wondering what in the Hokage's name is Naoko-chan doing in our home so early in the morning," Sakumo said nonchalantly as he made a beeline to the kitchen to make himself some tea before he takes his well-deserved rest.

"It seems you had a little play-date. But you should have sent her back home last night though. Her caretaker must be going nuts about not finding her in her bed in the orphanage. Plus, a girl like her must not stay out too late. Did you not know that, Kakashi?" The older Hatake continued quietly, as he filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove to heat it up.

Kakashi tilted his head in confusion for a moment, before his eyes slowly widened at his father's choice of words regarding him and Naoko having a _play-date_. His eyes narrowed into slits, as he opened his mouth to deny it when the said girl stirred in her sleep.

"Mmm," Naoko mumbled, as she tightened her hold on Kakashi's waist unconsciously which the latter took notice upon feeling the sudden pressure on the mid-section of his body. He looked down slowly, before he felt his cheeks heat up in realization.

"What the—" He was cut off when his father shushed him and the younger Hatake kept quiet out of reflex.

Somehow, the Kakashi and Naoko's conversation had been prolonged until the sun had already risen and the former decided to let the last Higanbana to sleep over in their house albeit reluctantly. And suddenly, his father came home and found them asleep together in the living room, even though he was not supposed to be back until the next week. How mortifying was it for him?

Surely, Naoko would feel the same if she was the one who was awake right now. But the brat was still sleeping soundly as if she was in her own home.

 _'Stupid,'_ Kakashi thought without actually meaning the word. He slowly but carefully removed the arm that was slung over his waist, and fixed the blanket so that it was covering Naoko properly. The younger Hatake's expression softened at the sight of her sleeping peacefully.

Unlike earlier when they were talking, her tears just relentlessly flowed down her cheeks. It tugged at his heartstrings and at the same time, it made him wonder how strong she was mentally to be able to continue on living despite having her whole clan wiped out overnight.

Sakumo quietly watched the interesting scene before him, and he was proud that Kakashi seemed to be slightly opening up to someone who was of the same age as him.

"So, what time exactly did Nao-chan arrive that she ended up spending the night over here? What were you two doing anyways?" Sakumo asked as he put the tea leaves in the pot, before pouring the newly-brewed tea in two cups.

"S-She suddenly came in the middle of the night without any warning. Then, we just talked about... some _stuff,_ " Kakashi explained, not delving into details too much regarding what he and Naoko had talked about earlier since she had pleaded him not to.

No matter how much he wanted to share it to his own father, he wanted to keep his word. After all, it was the first time that Naoko had asked him nicely for a favor, and it was also the first time he saw her look so unsettled—except for the time that he had a talk with their sensei and Inori-san.

"Uh-huh," Sakumo looked at his son with an unimpressed expression that says he did not believe what he was saying, but he decided not to pry. Actually, he might already have an idea as to what they talked about. Most likely, it was about her family.

But the tone of his voice must have gotten to Kakashi since the younger Hatake's cheeks flushed slightly. Whether it was because of embarrassment or more than that, he did not know. But what Sakumo knows was that he was happy for the both of them to be able to find kindred spirits with one another, in which the both of them had a hard time making friends with other kids their age.

 _'I want a cute daughter like Nao-chan,'_ Sakumo thought to himself. His emotions betraying his face as he smiled wistfully at the prospect of having a cute, little girl like Naoko as a daughter.

"What are you thinking about, dad?" Kakashi innocently asked, as he looked at his father with a quizzical expression on his face.

Poor kid, he did not know what he was in for in the future. Sakumo thought it was best to keep his match-making plan under wraps for now, or else his kid would be doing his damnedest to avoid any interaction with Naoko. And maybe, Sakumo could rally some support from the others as well while he was at it.

Sakumo cleared his throat, smiling sheepishly at the fact that he was caught daydreaming, "It was nothing. You should probably get ready for the day. I'll cook breakfast in a bit. You should wake up Nao-chan too, and then we can send her home after eating breakfast." He said as he ushered his son to the direction of the bathroom.

* * *

Naoko stirred in her sleep when something seemed to hit her in the face _(figuratively)_ , momentarily blinding her when she opened her eyes. There was a dull ache in her back when she sat up. Then, she noticed the unfamiliar surroundings.

It seemed like she fell asleep in somebody else's living room. Naoko took a few more moments in order to regain her bearings, when memories of the midnight conversation she had with a particular silver-haired boy came back to her like a wave.

Not that she had seen the sea or anything yet. She was a sheltered child through and through.

Still, no matter how small or insignificant the improvement between her and Kakashi's relationship was—it made the little heiress happy. At the very least, they were able to break down the invisible barrier between them that they had unknowingly put up.

Kakashi was very patient with her earlier, despite the ugly sobbing and incomprehensible story that came along with it. It was the first time that Naoko truly felt relaxed. The burden of being the only one left alive of her clan was too heavy on her small shoulders to carry. Yet, Kakashi still willingly listened to her when she had desperately asked him to. It made her see him in an entirely different light. It was nice, to say the least.

It was nice to be able to finally share her story to someone. Although Rin and Obito were her friends, Naoko did not want to burden them unnecessarily, which, in her little mind, was something that she was most afraid to do. Most afraid to do because her depressing story could cost her her friends, and they did not even have a tiny knowledge of her clan, her people and what power they hold... at least, not yet.

With Kakashi, on the other hand, he already knew bits and pieces of information about her. The final straw was how his father was involved in her dreams, which she was still apologetic about after telling and worrying them unnecessarily. But everything turned out well in the end.

"What are you smiling at? It's creepy." A voice Naoko knew oh-so-well snapped her out of her thoughts. She noted the hint of indifference in his voice, but she didn't let it deter her from her  
unbelievably good mood.

Her eyes scanned Kakashi who looked like he just came out of the bath. His silver hair dripping with water at the ends, and half of his face was still covered with his trademark mask. She inwardly raised an eyebrow at that, thinking that he would most likely have a mask permanently stuck to his face someday.

"Got a problem with that, Kakashi-kun?" She shot back, as she stood up and stretched her body. Her bones creaked because of the lack of usage, her smile never leaving her face.

Weirdly enough, it seemed like her mind was at peace than usual that day. It was probably due to the good night's rest that she had gotten, despite being up until the wee hours of the night. And she wondered how long it would be until she would once again dream about something that would ruffle her feathers so much. Naoko hoped that it wasn't anytime soon.

"Good morning, Naoko-chan~" Sakumo greeted as he emerged from one of the rooms, looking refreshed than the first time she had met him. He was wearing simple clothes consisting of a black turtleneck sweater and a pair of olive green pants.

Then, as if the fact that her fellow student's father was home just sunk into her, her eyes enlarged to the point that the father-and-son duo feared that her eyes would pop out of its sockets.

"G-Good morning, Sakumo-san!" Naoko scrambled to her feet, but it kept on getting tangled with one another and that made her struggle to stand up in order to properly greet him. Somewhere to her left, she could hear Kakashi childishly snickering at her epic failure. But he immediately cleared his throat as if to hide the fact that he was making fun of her. Unfortunately for him, she heard him loud and clear. But she would chastise him on another day.

Still, Naoko couldn't help the blush and heat that spread to her face from the neck down as she bowed politely to the patriarch of the Hatake household.

"I-I'm sorry for overextending my welcome in your home, Sakumo-san. I w-wasn't aware that you'll be returning. If I did, I would have gone home after I talked to Kakashi-kun..." The little girl rambled on as she looked down on her clasped hands in front of her. However, when she heard no response from the both of them, Naoko looked up.

To say that she was surprised was an understatement. She did not expect Sakumo to be smiling gently at her, his eyes glinted with something unreadable yet slightly familiar to her. She had seen it oftentimes when she catches her parents looking at her.

A wave of nostalgia couldn't help but wash over her and Naoko couldn't fight back the tears that slowly pooled in her eyes. She tried her best to hold it in by closing her eyes and tilting her head up. After rubbing the tears away, she glanced at the older man before her. Kakashi was still standing near her. And in her peripheral vision, she could see how he made a move to give her an awkward pat on the shoulder, making his father smile wider than it already was.

"Naoko-chan," the said girl looked up again upon being called.

"May I call you Nao-chan?" She nodded her head rather eagerly at this. A small smile made its way across her lips. Sakumo laughed lightly, amused with her actions. He slowly closed the gap between them and got down on his knees in front of her. He held her by the shoulders and looked into her pale, red orbs as if he was searching something, making Naoko tense up.

"I'm only going to say this once," Naoko slowly nodded, as she listened attentively to Sakumo who was speaking in a soft voice. His slightly gruff voice slowly made her relax as she stared back at him just as intently.

"You are your _own_ person. I'm sure your parents would also say the same thing." Sakumo said, moving his hands to gently grasp her neck and stroke her cheeks.

Kakashi watched them by the sidelines, wondering what on earth his father was doing. Naoko's eyes widened slightly. She was doing that a lot in this house, no matter how hard she tried to mask her emotions.

"But my parents are dead. I'm the only one left of my clan. I'm sure that they would want me to revive our clan, no matter what anyone says," Naoko declared quietly, making Sakumo pause from caressing her cheeks.

"You can think about that once you are old enough. Do you know that? But right now, you are _just_ a child. A child who should enjoy childhood—making friends, playing with them, learning a lot of things, getting stronger, and simply living your life happily." He said, leaning his forehead against hers and he could see the little girl's eyes water at his words.

"No one expects you to do anything but the things I mentioned above. I'm sure your senseis would say the same thing as well." Sakumo continued, watching Naoko closely as a slight tremor shook her small body.

"Is it really alright for me to live like a normal kid?" Sakumo nodded resolutely as the only Higanbana's tears leaked out from her eyes.

"I don't have a home. I don't have parents. I have _nothing_. Is it still alright for me to live like the other kids?" Naoko asked again, clutching the front of the older Hatake's shirt tightly in her small fists.

"Yes, of course. No one can tell you otherwise." Sakumo's answer this time was so fierce and determined. And Naoko believed him so, as she bawled her eyes out on his chest.

 _'Everything will be alright. It's okay for me to live normally. Or at least, as normal as it could get,'_ she thought, her heart brimming with hope for the future. For a future in Konoha. For a future that seemed to be suddenly filled with promise.

Sakumo was glad that he was able to talk to red-haired girl without interruptions. It was a fortunate coincidence that she slept over in their house, or else he would not be able to give her the long-overdue _talk_ that the adults around her should have done in the first place.

It won't do the girl any good to be wallowing in self-pity at such a young age and to be suddenly thrown in an environment that was absolutely unfamiliar to her, that could result into eventually turning her into an unfeeling kind of person. It was really great that it seemed like a load had been taken off her shoulders. Hopefully, she will regain the persona that she had before the unfortunate tragedy that struck her clan.

There were cracks, Sakumo was sure of that. But he knew that Naoko would heal. In time and maybe, with the help of the right people, the girl will fully heal. She will be fully healed of the gaping wounds that she have suffered from, that would most likely leave scars. Yet, those scars will be a reminder for her in the future of how she fought and became stronger because of them.

He wrapped his arms around her tiny form and rubbed circles on her back in a comforting manner, seeing that Kakashi was watching them. He motioned for his son to come closer, which the latter followed, albeit begrudgingly. Sakumo pulled him into the hug as well and smiled at him fondly as Kakashi hesitantly put an arm around Naoko as well.

All in all, it was another good day in the Hatake household.

* * *

 **[A/N]: Hola, minna! Rui is baaaaack~**

 **I just wanted to share this since I've been pretty because of it—I am currently doing an internship which is why I was unable to update since the beginning of June. And now that my Basic Japanese 2 classes are done, I have more free time during Saturdays.**

 **As for my internship, it would be ending on the 3rd of August. That's about two weeks away, I guess? The start of my classes in university, however, would be in the 2nd week of August. Pretty close, if you ask me.**

 **Anyway, here is an update for you lovely people.**

 **I know, I know. I revealed nothing in this chapter! But I really wanted for Sakumo to have a big part on how Naoko could change as a person. And personally, Nao-chan is a crybaby no matter how she acts like a tough-cookie outside, she's still as soft as a gooey cookie. LOL. ～(＾Д＾～)**

 **I'm sure some of you might be getting pissed at all the drama and crying. And I just want to tell you guys that I'm trying my best not to make it like that. In my defense though, Nao is still a five-year old—almost six and she lost everyone in her clan including her family. She lost everything, with nowhere to go. Some might say this and that, but she is a well-trained five-year old who is supposed to be the future heiress of her clan. It would undoubtedly make her think maturely—at least more mature than normal kids could possibly be.**

 **So that's that.**

 **And as for Kakashi, for me, one of the catalysts for his persona of being ultra-mean and bull-headed is because of the death of his father. Although he was already like that even when Sakumo was still alive, but more toned down I guess. Plus, he's still a kid as well and a tad immature.**

 **I'm open to constructive criticisms—I am trying my best to improve my writing. I feel like my writing is still unsatisfactory. Huuuuuu（￣へ￣； ムムム** **I know that there would always be something like that though and it's tough to read them at first but it's a motivator of sorts to improve.**

 **On another note, thanks to those who continuously give this story lots of love and support! Please drop reviews since they're always welcomed! (*'∀｀*)人(*'∀｀*)**


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